An Important Girl
by Moon Lovers Lover
Summary: It was for the second time that Hae Soo sat in red wedding robes, waiting for a king to make her his bride.
1. Chapter 1

**YEAR: 945**

It was for the second time that Hae Soo sat in red wedding robes, waiting for a king to make her his bride. Richer than before, her clothing and body were hung with gold, jade, and silver ornaments, earrings, necklace, and rings. The court lady who helped her dress told her that the king had spared no money in getting her a bridal dress fit for a queen. Soo had said nothing to that, staring blankly as she was hung and wrapped with rich, heavy silk cloth.

She had unfrozen at least enough to tell the women that she would like to do her own makeup, and she did; her reflection in the mirror looking back at her with empty eyes. Red lips, pale face with a touch of pink powder at the cheeks. She was the epitome of the blushing Goryeo bride, a woman soon to be the king's third queen. If she was able to muster the strength or humor to do so she would have shaken her head wryly.

Queen? Rather a hostage, the King's hold over his brothers. Besides, she wasn't blushing; her cheeks and lips paled under all the red paint. All she could do was accept her fate, so that nobody would be hurt. It was all she could do. If this was fate, then she would accept it, if only to protect those she cared most about.

As she vacantly waited in the chamber, her thoughts drifted idly. 'I should've really paid more attention in high school history classes. The one that came after Taejo was Hyejong, then this one is Jeongjong. …I wonder what else I'm wrong about.' She finished outlining her lips, and she looked down at the 'BB cream' she had made and popularized in this era.

Scooping a thick brushful, she rolled up one of her sleeves, and began to cover her scar. Appearances mattered tonight. But afterwards… The uncertainty and emptiness that came with the lack of control over her future colored the world gray with despair. The makeup was cool on her skin, and soon it looked as if no scar had been there in the first place.

/

 _Soo had been serving tea to the king, silently doing her duty as a court lady, just like any day, under any king. It had not even been two months into Wang Yo's reign, of serving tea in the throne room, but she could never quite get used to the way the king smirked at her, the way his eyes seemed to try and cut through her, waiting for her to snap, and try to stab him (or something). He would ask her questions, sometimes completely incongruous, and they would throw her off balance, though she would not give him the satisfaction of seeing that. He played with her, and she resented it, unable to do a thing._

 _Today, his mouth twitched into a much wider smirk than usual. Soo kept her head down and her gaze empty, her movements graceful with practiced care as she served tea. The king watched her, and as she finished, he motioned for her to stay. She bowed slightly, obeying, readying herself for whatever was to come. Wang Yo looked at her appraisingly over the edge of his teacup, then seemed to come to a decision. "I wonder if you realize exactly how much you're worth, Hae Soo," he said lightly, as if simply talking to himself._

 _"I am but a simple court lady, Your Majesty," Soo said quietly, keeping her eyes down._

 _He smirked. "A court lady that has most all my brothers wrapped around her little finger. Not so simple, Lady Hae." He motioned for the servants by the doors to open them, and they groaned open – the fourth, eighth, ninth, thirteenth and fourteenth princes being announced. The young men all stepped into the room one by one, bowing and murmuring their greetings to their new king._

 _So's eyes were narrowed, his thoughts plain for all to see. All but the ninth prince seemed surprised to find Soo there, but not half as surprised as Soo herself was. She stood, immobile, until Wang Yo turned to her. His hand shot out and grabbed her arm, pulling her around to the front, showing her to all the present princes. His grip was tight and Soo bit her lip, refusing to show her fear. "Look at this girl," Yo said, shaking his head with a snort. "Look at her."_

 _Soo was immobile, but her eyes sought out So, then Jung and Baek Ah. So's jaw tightened, and Baek Ah exchanged worried glances with his younger brother. Wook's eyes widened for a moment, but his face relaxed into a too-blank mask of polite confusion. Only Won seemed to be relaxed, smiling slightly up at the king. Yo continued, not letting go of Soo's arm. "This girl seems to be a lot more important than she looks."_

 _So's teeth gritted audibly. "Your Majesty-"_

 _Ignoring him completely, Yo cut in, "And since she is so important, I'll take her for myself. After all, the king should be in charge of all important things, don't you agree?"_

 _The look on Jung's face turned into frightened confusion, Baek Ah's expression was that of a terrible realization, and So looked as if he had been punched in the stomach. Won smiled, as before. Wook kept his head, but only by a little. He stepped forward. "Your Majesty, surely you are not speaking of_ marriage-" _he began, speaking too quickly and smoothly._

 _"And if I am?" the king asked, amused. His grip on Soo did not loosen._

 _So stepped forward, fury blazing in his angular face. "A woman with a scar on her body can't marry a king," he growled. "…Your Majesty," he added, too late._

 _The smirk on Yo's face widened as he pushed Soo's sleeve up, exposing her marred forearm. "But this important girl can make scars disappear, brother, you would know that best out of all of us." He let go of Soo's arm. "Of course, I must invite my tenth brother to the wedding, and there will be much planning and festivities for the occasion," he said, smirk widening. "That way, you have some time at least, to say goodbye, before she's mine completely."_

 _Horror was written over every inch of Jung's face. Baek Ah looked concernedly and worriedly at Soo; and So's anger had doubled, his fists clenching. He looked as if at any moment he would leap onto the throne and rip the king's throat out, earn the savagery he was credited with. Wook's eyes were too narrowed, his jaw too stiff, and his lips pressed together tightly and bloodlessly. Only Won bowed and smiled genially. Herself, Soo could not move, mind blank with panic, the rushing in her ears blocking out all sound for a moment._

 _When the princes had left the room – either almost running, casting glances at her over their shoulders, or with too perfect a posture – Won stayed behind to congratulate Yo on his engagement, before leaving last._

 _Finally, when the door of the throne room slammed shut, Soo's legs could not hold her anymore and she collapsed into a kneeling position on the floor, staring at her shaking hands, rubbing her wrist where Yo had left red marks with his tight grip. Yo watched her curiously, but said nothing, until finally, she found her voice. "Your Majesty, I humbly beg you to reconsider-" she began hoarsely._

 _"No," said Yo flatly. "Don't try."_

 _Soo said nothing, but willed tears not to fall._

 _Yo still looked at her. "You're intelligent enough to know why I'm doing this, and why I will not back down," he said. "Don't try to run. My brothers may care about you, but it goes both ways. It would be a shame if something were to happen to, say… The thirteenth prince." He raised an eyebrow and met her eyes for a long moment, before finally taking a sip of tea. "You have two weeks to ready yourself."_

 _She took it as a dismissal, and he did not correct her._

/

The paste of the 'BB cream' grew even colder on her skin, the touch of the brush making her shiver. Somehow, the cold seeped through her skin and deep into her bones, even though she was wearing more layers of clothing than she ever had in her life. Soo set down her brush, shaking her many heavy layers of red silk sleeves down to her fingertips.

The court ladies began to pack her makeup away, and one of them looked sympathetically at her, a woman a rank below her who was in charge of clothing. "You look beautiful, Lady Hae. …I- We will miss you," she said, bowing. "We are happy for you. It is a great honor to be the third queen."

Soo couldn't find it within herself to smile back, but she nodded, stiff-necked under the weight of her queenly chignon and its hair extensions, and ornaments. Her tone was only slightly bitter when she said, "Isn't it?" She opened her mouth to say something else, but nothing came to mind and the other court lady's eyes saddened as she bowed and left Soo alone. Soo sat still and silent, her immobile eyes fixed on the door, unconsciously biting the makeup away her bloodless lips.

/

 _With shaking legs, Soo left the throne room, the teapot and cups rattling on her tray as her hands trembled. What was going to happen now? A junior court lady took the tray from her, yet Soo did not move, standing perfectly still in the hall, still rubbing her wrist, as if somehow – if she rubbed away the marks of the king's grip – then she could erase the past few minutes from time. What was she going to do? That thought was the foremost in her mind. No answer appeared._

 _"Soo!"_

 _She turned, shaken from her thoughts by the urgent voice. "Your Highness," she said, looking up at So, forcing the tremors wracking her body to leave her._

 _"Let's run," he said firmly. "Where no-one can find us. You always wanted to travel, right?" He drew her close, his hands gripping her upper arms, his eyes both dark with barely concealed rage at Yo, and his tone full of desperation._

 _She saw him, and she knew what to do. Tears coming to her eyes, she smiled, laying her hands on his arms. "No, Your Highness," she said. "I'm sorry."_

 _So's jaw tightened. "Why not? We can slip away in the night. I'll take a horse, I'm a prince, I have money. We'll take a ship to Later Jin. I have contacts in Khitan, we could go there. Maybe we'll even go to somewhere where people haven't been before!"_

 _"His Majesty anticipated your reaction, Your Highness," Soo said softly. "If we run, then Baek Ah is in danger. He made it very clear to me."_

 _"We'll take him with us!" So said quickly._

 _"Baek Ah won't leave Woo Hee – and she can't leave the gyobang. His Majesty will threaten the tenth prince and his wife, he will threaten General Park through her, he will even threaten Chae Ryung. Many people will be in danger because of this, many people will be hurt if we run. His Majesty knows this, and he's counting on it." Soo's voice rose as she spoke, and tears spilled over her eyes and down her cheeks. "I can't let that happen, Your Highness."_

 _So seemed to deflate, his hands dropping down loosely to his sides, his eyes downcast. "Then what will you do? Will you let this happen?"_

 _"There's nothing else I can do so that nobody gets hurt."_

 _"Soo…"_

 _Soo swallowed down more burning tears. "Your Highness, the more you care about me, the easier it is for you to be hurt now." She closed her eyes for a moment, but the absence of sight for that one moment did not make the words easier to say. "Wouldn't it be easier to forget me?"_

 _"Don't say that," he growled hoarsely, pulling her to himself in a tight embrace. "Don't you dare. You're_ my _person. I won't forget you." His hands shook as they tightened around her shoulders, and his heart was beating quickly, Soo could feel. "Even if he takes you away from me…"_

/

Soo's skirt rustled as she walked to her wedding feast, her court ladies trailing after her with their heads down. The moon was rising, and lanterns were lit around the grounds. There were the sounds of revelry outside the walls, but as they arrived at their destination, Soo thought she had seen funerals more cheerful. The upbeat music played by nervously sweating musicians was a sick, stark contrast to the mood of the room.

At the head of the long table Wang Yo sat, relaxedly drinking, his gold-threaded finery glinting in the bright light of candles, festive lanterns and lamps. His eyes were narrowed and flicked to her as she appeared in the doorway, a momentary smirk on his face. On his right sat So, his jaw tight, his knuckles white around his knees. When he looked up at her, she saw both rage and an overpowering sadness in his eyes. Wook and Won sat to Yo's left.

Won was smiling and he inclined his head at her, then cheerfully stole a piece of beef from Wook's untouched food. The eighth prince was perfectly still and did not even look up when she entered, but Eun did, and he looked like he was going to cry. Soon Deok looked sad and shook her head almost imperceptibly. Yeon Hwa sat beside So with a ramrod-straight back. She looked at Soo and her smile was fake, her eyes sharp and full of hate – the red of her mouth like an open wound. Jung still looked confusedly horrified, but he tried to smile at her – and for that, Soo was grateful. 'Fighting,' she read on his barely moving lips, and almost smiled. Baek Ah simply nodded, his face pale and his eyes full of sympathy, the shakiness of his hands showing that he had already drunk quite a bit before she had arrived.

Further down the table, more and more people sat; high-ranking officials, a few royal uncles – Soo noticed the obvious absence of the Queen Mother. She supposed that Queen Yoo did not approve of her eldest son's marriage to her.

"Here is my bride," announced Yo, taking a sip from his cup, immediately refilled by Won. Soo looked down, and sat formally as far away from Yo as she could at the head of the table. She was sure that despite the makeup she still looked pale, and no amount of makeup could cover the tired resignation in her eyes. She did not touch her food, and saw that So could not either. Eun and Jung were picking uneasily at theirs, Wook's movements looked like some sort of robot – and Baek Ah was only drinking heavily.

They did not speak, except for Won's occasional exclamations of congratulation, remarks on the recent weather – and comments on how good the food was. Yo watched everyone lazily from under his eyelids, and soon enough, Eun and Jung joined Baek Ah in his heavy drinking. There were murmurs of conversation further down the table, but Soo's attention focused on So, who was staring down at his plate. Soo could see that his fists were clenched so hard that his nails dug into his palms, and were staining his hands with blood. Yeon Hwa smiled occasionally, making sweet, kind and politically ambiguous remarks – as was expected of her – and soon enough, Wook joined in, his eyes completely empty. The bride looked so very beautiful, and was very lucky to be marrying the king, wasn't she? The festivities were very enjoyable, it must have taken a lot of effort, right? These questions did nothing to dispel the tenseness of the mood.

Finally, Yo set his cup down on the table with a finalizing 'bang'. At the startling sound, one of the musicians' hands slipped and a squawk came from his instrument as the music faded away. Everyone stopped talking and looked up the table at him. The king's smirk was unpleasant. "Why is this party so quiet?" he asked testily.

Nobody broke the silence and answered him. Soo looked worriedly at the princes, her eyes finally landing on So, the set of his shoulders and the hair dropping into his hatred-clouded eyes.

The corner of Yo's mouth twitched. "It's almost as if nobody is enjoying themselves."

Won looked shocked. "Your _Majesty_!" he exclaimed. "I am _very_ sure this is not the case!" He smiled apologetically and shrugged. "Perhaps everyone is overcome with happy emotion for your and your bride's future, my king," he suggested disingenuously.

Still, no-one said anything. Yo raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps that is the case," he said with mock thoughtfulness. His smirk widened. "Then," he said slowly, turning to So, "I am sure, brother, you will offer a toast to us?"

Soo flinched, and there were gasps as the fine china cup in So's hand shattered from his tight grip, shards clattering into the table and cutting into his hand, blood dripping onto his robes. The look in his eyes was pure, dark rage, but he stood up and took another cup that an uneasy court lady filled.

Everyone watched with bated breath.

So jerkily lifted the cup in his bloody hand, meeting Soo's eyes as he did so. "I offer a toast to the bride's good health," he said roughly, then downed the contents of the cup in one gulp, blood running down his wrist and down his arm, into his sleeve. He stood still for a moment, his gaze transitioning to Yo for a few seconds, a challenge in his cold eyes. Yo looked back, still smirking, and watched as So sat back down heavily.

"To the bride's good health," everyone at the table murmured, and took sips from their cups.

Yo nodded with satisfaction, but he did not seem to be done yet. "Ah, I think… Baek Ah," he said lazily, "On such a festive occasion, surely you will honor us with a song?" The sarcasm in his voice was thick as he said it – and he motioned to a musician to stop playing his lute and give it to the thirteenth prince, which he did – almost tripping over his own feet.

Baek Ah looked up at the king, then down again. His voice was barely audible. "As you command, Your Majesty," he said.

Everyone fell silent, even the musicians stopped playing as the young prince twanged a few strings in test. He cleared his throat and began to sing softly, accompanying himself on the lute.

 _"Days pass by painfully, in the stillness of the day and wind. Because I like the sunshine, I smile."_

Soo bit her lip to stop tears coming to her eyes – but she could not. She remembered singing the song for the tenth prince's birthday, during days that seemed like sun-filled paradise, when all she could worry about was her next scolding from Court Lady Oh. 'You should all get along like this, always,' she remembered thinking, 'Who cares if you don't become king? Don't forget this moment, right now. Okay?'

How ironic that she heard this song now, when the crown prince had been killed by his brothers, when the eighth prince had turned his back on her, when the third prince had become king and turned everything on its head, and was unafraid to destroy anything and anyone in his quest for power – and, she learned from So – his mother's approval. She looked to So, whose eyes were glassy with suppressed emotion, then to Eun, who had buried his face in Soon Deok's shoulder. Wook's jaw was tight and he looked into the distance without seeing anything.

 _"Passing by so busily, even among those heartless people. Because I like my friend, I smile."_

The look on Yeon Hwa's face for a single moment was that of pure rage, and a vacant smile was on Won's lips. Jung wept openly – and at the head of the table, by her side, Yo watched everything from under lazily half-lidded eyes.

" _…If I find a place without loneliness, come with me to that place. Let us go together, friend… My friend… …Thank you for being you_ -"

Baek Ah was cut off.

With a clattering of dishes as he bumped the table, Jung stood suddenly, unsteadily up. His eyes and cheeks were damp and he avoided everyone's eyes as he thickly said, "Bathroom," and staggered out.

Baek Ah stopped singing and his fingers stilled on the strings of the lute. He took Jung's cup and emptied it in one swallow, doing the same with his own – and slowly looked up at the king. "I apologize," he said mildly, slurring his words a little, "I seem to have forgotten the rest of the words. I _do_ hope you will forgive me, Your Majesty." He handed the lute back to the musician, who scuttled back to sit with his troupe.

Yo laughed suddenly and briefly, then began to clap slowly. Won joined in with more enthusiasm, then the rest of the table. So did not move at all, save for his eyes meeting Soo's again, like a brief, secret, gentle touch. There was a lonely, awkward cheer from somewhere at the foot of the table, but it seemed to be cut off by someone slapping a hand over the offender's mouth. A single tear built up in Soo's eye and fell onto the red silk of her robes, soaking in, then disappearing as she blinked. She noticed Yo's eyes on her, and concentrated her attention wholly on the backs of her hands. She could her him let out a soft snort, whether at her pathetic state, or at his cleverness in making everyone miserable, Soo didn't know.

Yo drew the table's attention to himself again. "I think it's best that we end the party now," he said. "It seems my young bride is tired of all the fun she's been having. After all, I don't want to tire her out _too_ much before the night is over."

There were a few nervous titters and people seemed only too happy to get up. Soo could hear a soft growl escape So's lips. At a gesture from the king, the princes stayed at the table, and as Jung came back in, he was firmly pushed into his seat by Won. The king waited until everyone was gone, then settled back and looked at his brothers. So was as still as a statue, blood from his hand still dripping onto the table. Jung seemed to have dunked his head in cold water and Eun was rubbing his sleeve across his face. Soo did not move, her eyes still downcast

At first there was silence as the princes looked expectantly at the king.

Then, Yo's hand shot out and grabbed Soo's chin, forcing her to look up at all of them. His grip was not tight enough to hurt, oddly enough, but the teeth in his smirk were more painful than any knife as he said, "Take a good, long look at her. Look at this important Hae Soo girl very carefully. As if you are looking for the last time."

Soo saw So's eyebrows draw together in sorrow and his teeth grit audibly, saw Wook look down and away, saw tears rise to Eun's and Jung's eyes – and immeasurable sadness for Soo's fate in Baek Ah's. Only Won was smiling pleasantly, and in that moment, Soo hated him for it.

Yo let her go. "…You very well might be," he said.


	2. Chapter 2

_Baek Ah, Woo Hee and Soo sat in a restaurant by the river, watching the lanterns being lit around the city as the bright moon rose into the sky. Baek Ah picked at the strings of his lute, cheeks red from drink, head bowed solemnly. Woo Hee had her arm around Soo, her face drawn with sadness. Soo shook her head. "I've managed to sneak out this once, but I don't know what I will do when he marries me. Will he send me away? Will he keep me locked up in the palace?"_

 _The thirteenth prince swore and downed an entire cup of soju in one swig. "I can't believe-_ I'm _your weak spot? That's ridiculous."_

 _"_ Anyone _who I care about is," Soo said._

 _Woo Hee's grip tightened around her friend's shoulder. "House Hae is either being threatened or rewarded," she said. "First Hae Myung Hee and the eighth prince, now you to the king, for the second time. There have been others, but with less status. The Hwangbo are cautious."_

 _Shaking his head, Baek Ah set his instrument aside and put a hand on Soo's knee with a spark in his eyes. "I just had an idea, Soo," he said excitedly. "What if we fake your death?"_

 _There was an edge in Woo Hee's eyes as she looked at Baek Ah. "Don't give her hopes with ridiculous ideas," she hissed. "You're drunk and everything seems possible." She looked at Soo. "Believe me, if there was a fail-safe plan, I would be all for it. But I know what it's like to sacrifice your freedom to protect your important people," she said._

 _Until the moon sank down into the river, the three friends – the gisaeng, the prince, and the court lady sat together, their hands linked – for they did not know if it would be the last time they would truly be able to be together and spend time this way._

/

Soo sat perfectly still on the red-curtained marriage bed in all her finery, waiting for the king to come through the doors and- She sucked in a shuddering breath and her hands twisted in her sleeves. She could only imagine how cruel he would be. Soo swallowed and tried to breathe slowly. When he chose to 'claim his rights' as a husband, she did not know what she would do.

But she waited for a quarter of an hour and the doors did not open. She waited for a quarter more, and nothing happened. Perhaps he would not come at all-

The doors opened slowly and Soo clenched her teeth together, looking down. 'I'm not going to cry,' she silently promised. 'If anything, I'm not going to give him the satisfaction-'

Yo strode through the doors, barely sparing her a glance. He threw off his heavy, gold-threaded over-garments onto the back of a chair and kicked off his boots. He unhooked his long, dangly gold earrings and set them on top of his clothes, then began to take his rings off. Soo's hands clenched into white-knuckled fists inside her red sleeves as he moved closer to the bed.

But, "Move over," he rumbled, falling into the bed and rolling over to the end farthest from her, pulling the silken sheets up over himself. Soo stared with disbelief at his back until, finally, she heard his breathing even out. He was asleep, thankfully, peacefully asleep. She slumped with relief against one of the posts of the bed, reaching up to cover her face with one hand. Not tonight, it would seem.

After several minutes when she heard the sound of Yo shifting she looked over at him with a barely audible gasp falling from her painted lips. He had not been asleep at all, and had rolled over onto his stomach looking at her from half-lidded eyes, an expression of amusement on his face, his arms folded under his chin. "Don't look so _disappointed_ ," he said, his low voice dripping with sarcasm.

Her mouth opened, but no sound came out.

"You're just not my type at all," he said.

Soo said nothing, searching for words. "Y-Your Majesty," she opted to say in a flat tone.

Yo rolled his eyes. "Oh, cut the courtesies, woman. If I gave you a chance, you'd run me through, just like anyone else."

"…I-I wouldn't do that." The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them, and she brought her fingertips up to her lips in horror.

He raised an eyebrow, meeting her eyes. "Oh? And how _would_ you? I'm curious."

Realizing that anything she said could be counted as treason, she stayed silent, her eyes downcast.

The king smirked. "…Poison? Mercury, poured into my bath, perhaps?"

Soo's eyes were blank and she said nothing.

Letting out a dry laugh, Yo shook his head slightly. "I suppose I'll find out soon enough, Hae Soo. Unless, of course, you have other plans for me."

"I am but a simple noblewoman," Soo said quietly, her gaze trained on her hands folded in her lap. "What plans could I possibly dare have for the king of Goryeo?"

He sighed with annoyance. "Don't play the fool, woman." His smirk was back and he was studying her very carefully.

Without realizing it, Soo looked over at him and met his eyes. He held her gaze for a moment, seeming to make sure of something, searching for something in her eyes. This scrutiny _meant_ something – but _what_ …? "Your Majesty?"

"What _are_ you, Hae Soo?" he asked softly, his eyes narrowing.

"I-I don't understand," she said.

"What makes you so… Desirable?" His critical gaze was sharp and the twist of his mouth bitter.

Soo could say nothing and when she finally managed something along the lines of, 'I wouldn't know, Your Majesty,' Yo ignored her and rolled onto his back. There was a silence, during which Soo returned to staring down at her hands. Finally, "…I despise people who snore," he said, shifting to get comfortable, then closing his eyes and pulling the covers almost up to his forehead. "And if you kick, you're sleeping on the floor."

/

 _"I congratulate you on your engagement, Senior Court Lady Hae." Wook's eyes were more piercing than his purposely soft smile, and Won peered over his shoulder curiously, also smiling, his eyes dark._

 _Soo bowed her head, looking down at her folded hands and tried not to clutch her pointer too tightly. Graciously, not meeting the eighth's prince's eyes, she said, "Thank you very much, Your Highness."_

 _"I wish you much happiness."_

 _"I too," Won said, his smile widening. "Who knew that our young Hae Soo would be moving up in the world in such a way?" He sighed, still smiling, looking up at the ceiling and folding his arms behind his back. The mischievous curve of his lips carried malice. "I'm almost_ scared _now, Soo," he said lightly. "…Congratulations. I am sure the king was not mistaken in choosing you as a match."_

 _Soo did not blink at the unsubtle jab. If he said that she was whoring herself out to the king for status and she responded, it would only serve to fuel him further. If Wang So was a wolf and Wang Yo was a dragon – Wang Won was a snake, coiling around the feet of whoever he thought was the strongest. A venomous snake. So, she only said, "You are too kind, Your Highness."_

 _As the princes stepped aside and let Soo and her procession of court ladies by, Soo let out a slow breath. It was time for their round of the Damiwon. All she could do was to focus on doing her work as a court lady. That was all she could do._

 _'I don't want to live a life controlled by others,' she remembered telling So when she first became a court maid after getting out of her marriage with Taejo Wang Geon. This time, however, if it meant the people important to her were to survive, to live as well as they could – Soo would have to do just that._

 _Just like she had angrily said, 'Wanting to live is not a crime!' she ate her words on the day Court Lady Oh passed away. 'Because I was too greedy to live…'_

 _So would become the king's dog and she would become the cruel king's bride._

 _Soo remembered the days when she was still new to this wide, dangerous Goryeo, living at the eighth prince's house – seeing all the princes getting along (more or less). She remembered that the third prince was just as intelligent and bookish as Wook, though much more physical. He would reluctantly laugh and smile with his brothers – a young prince with cold eyes, but a brief, warm smile. He would poke fun at Eun and Jung, converse with Wook at length about military strategy… Had he always been the cruel, smirking man she saw on the throne? She had never known him well._

 _'Is it my fault?' she wondered. 'If I had not covered the fourth prince's scar on the day of the rain ritual, would all this have still happened?'_

 _After all, the third prince was going to take over on the day So had appeared without a scar, and the sky had opened up. So told her that he had been berated by his mother to no end – and Soo knew how cruel Queen Yoo could be. She had abandoned her third son because of a scar she herself had caused. Was Wang Yo frightened that his mother would cast him aside if he did not please her? What could she do to deal with a powerful, murderous man with mommy issues? How much sympathy and how much hate could she have for this cruel, confusing man she was being forced to marry?_

 _Following her thorough rounds of the Damiwon, Soo rested in her room, kneeling in front of a low table, writing a letter to Woo Hee, detailing her predicament. '…I do not know, dear friend, if I will be able to see you again. But in the case that I will not, there are so many words that I want to say. Thank you for everything, and-'._

 _There was a knock on her window._

 _Soo lay down her brush and opened the window a crack. At the opportunity, the fourteenth prince pushed his head in, trying to grin at her. "Heya, sis," he said._

 _She smiled back, but she must have seemed too tired, because Jung's already pale grin faded a bit more. "Good evening, Your Highness. Are you supposed to be here?" she asked, mild chiding in her tone._

 _Jung looked over his shoulder at the empty garden. "'Far as anyone knows, I'm not even_ here _, catch my drift?" he said cheekily, then grew more serious. "I just wanted to see you, y'know? See how you're doing after… After, that, and stuff…"_

 _"Do you want to come in?" Soo asked._

 _Jung blushed. "Like… Into your room?"_

 _Soo shrugged, bowing slightly and stepping back, lowering her voice into polite smoothness. "I suppose it_ could _be very comfortable for Your Highness to stand on tiptoe and stick your head through a narrow window – but then again, this ignorant court lady could be wrong." To further the joke, she looked up at him and raised an eyebrow, her lips twisting to the side in contemplation._

 _"Right," Jung said, grinning at her, but worry in his eyes. "Be right there."_

 _In a moment, he was outside her door, then he was inside, sitting cross-legged on the floor and leaning back against the wall, Soo sitting across from him. The single candle was burning brightly, but the moonlight streaming in from the open window made everything much brighter than the candle could offer. Soo could see that Jung had brought a misshapen bundle of something-or-other wrapped in simple cloth. He smiled and pushed it across the floor to her, motioning for her to open it. There were several yakgwa and other sweet cakes usually taken with tea – that looked suspiciously like they had been raided from the kitchen cupboards._

 _"I brought snacks," he said lightly. "They make everything better, I find."_

 _Soo smiled slightly and bit into one at the same time as Jung stuffed three of them whole in his mouth and began to chew them, his cheeks bulging like some sort of bizarre chipmunk. She could not suppress a giggle at that, and saw Jung's shoulders drop slightly in relief. 'He's trying to cheer me up,' she thought with a twinge in her heart at this kind-hearted boy, forced to grow up too fast by the era he lived in._

 _"Thanks, Your Highness," she said, and he nodded._

 _"Soo…" he began. "My brother… He's not such a bad guy, I mean, I grew up with him and all. Maybe... Maybe there's a part of him, deep down that's actually kind of alright..." He winced, trailed off, then his face lit up. "…Soo, I've got an idea. If we disguised you as one of Soon Deok's handmaidens, we could sneak you the hell out of here, and you could live with Eun!"_

 _Soo shook her head. "I can't do that, Your Highness."_

 _The young man looked put out. "Why not?"_

 _"Because His Majesty made it very clear that he would not hesitate to threaten Baek Ah, or anyone else if I ran."_

 _Jung's teeth gritted and he swore, hitting his fist against the floor. "And are you alright with all this?" he asked sincerely. "In your heart, are you alright with marrying Big Bro- I mean, His Majesty?"_

 _Soo smiled gently. "In life, we all have to do things we don't want so that the people we love can stay happy, Your Highness. …I'll be fine. I always am."_

 _The fourteenth prince let out a sigh, then tried to smile. "If that's how you're going to be doing," he said, "That's your choice – and I'm with you all the way, whatever you decide. …You're a really brave lady, Soo, you know that? I admire you very much." He pumped his fist at her encouragingly. "Hwaiting!"_

 _Mirroring him, Soo smiled. "Fighting!"_

 _And they sat together, chatting, and eating sweets until morning – when Jung snuck out._

/

Soo woke alone in the king's bedchamber. In her sleep, she must have slid down from her sitting position and moved into the bed – so she lay there, staring at the ceiling in the strange moments after sleep, but before wakefulness. 'Now what?' she thought. 'What happens now?'

Those musings were cut short when the doors opened and three court maids entered, ostensibly to help her dress. Soo almost laughed as she sat up, blinking the sleep from her eyes. Just a few days ago, her position was so completely different – now _she_ was the one being served, not the one doing the serving. They silently produced elegant, richly patterned silk hanbok, piles of hair ornaments and earrings on little trays, rings for her fingers, an assortment of dainty shoes to choose from.

Her eyes widened as she looked at all this, realizing for the first time, that, 'Wow, so _this_ is what it's like to be rich'. She chose a hanbok of subdued, dark blue and a light gray outer robe with silver thread along its geometrically swirling hems. Her hair was pulled and coiled up in the style of a powerful, rich married Goryeo woman. Soo firmly drew the line at a pair of small pair of silver earrings – no rings, no necklaces, for gods' sake, _please_ no more hair ornaments. She wanted to be able to carry her own weight and not jangle like a metal windchime when she walked.

She relayed this, in slightly more polite terms to the court ladies. "Yes, Milady," they said bowing, but Soo, with her experienced Senior Court Lady's eye could see that they exchanged relieved looks, and one even went as far as to let out a breath of thankfulness. She smiled.

Breakfast was served to her in her new chambers, three rooms down the hallway from the king's. On the table, Soo noticed that there was an envelope addressed to her in neat, elegant brushstrokes. Wondering who it could be from, she opened it and unfolded the paper inside. She began to read. _'House Hae is very pleased with you, little wife. My mother – not so much. Don't do anything stupid.'_

It was the king. Soo was surprised to see that Wang Yo's beautiful calligraphy was on par with Wook's delicate script – and a work of art compared to So's careless, endearing scribblings. The style was very sharp and controlled, but seemed to flow easily – and Soo was reminded again that Yo was just as much of a scholar as he was a warrior. At the bottom of the page was a post-script that simply said, _'You managed not to snore.'_

Soo made a face, and set the note aside. She ate slowly, unable to come close to finishing the sumptuous meal she was given.

Unlike the two other rooms, instead of a view of the palace's inner gardens and grounds – this one had a view of the lake from a large window. Her belongings had been moved here from her cramped court lady's room – and seemed so small and frugal on the large, carved shelves. The tapestries on the walls were beautiful, as were the hanging scrolls with depictions of delicate flowers and of far-away landscapes.

What Soo thought she should do next, was take stock of her situation – not just physically, but politically. Wang Yo had two other wives, one who lived far away, and one who lived on the outskirts of the capital. They were both political marriages – the daughters of rich houses, now the first and second queens of Goryeo. One of them had a child, the other was barren and sent away. As third queen, or rather more of a glorified 'consort', Soo knew that while her position was high, she was below one of his other two wives in rank; the one who had his son. 'Her official name was something like Lady Moon- Moon-something. Gang? Gong?'

The king had told her, ' _House Hae is very pleased with you_ '. Which was laughable, seeing as they had disowned and cut all ties with her when she had refused marriage to Taejo by cutting her wrist open. Now that she was the wife of a king, they rescinded their anger and disappointment with her – and were 'pleased' with her, pleased enough to send her a letter by the head of the house on the day of the announcement of the formal engagement. ' _You have done well, niece_ ,' the first line read. Soo did not know her house at all, seeing as she had 'lost her memory' when she had arrived in Goryeo – and only knew Hae Myung Hee, the eighth prince's late wife. She knew that House Hae had a reputation for producing, good, dutiful wives – and shared both blood and monetary connection with the Hwangbo.

Woo Hee's words came back to her, ' _House Hae is being either threatened or rewarded. …The Hwangbo are cautious._ ' Wang Yo was obviously planning something, but _what_ , she didn't know.

Yo had confirmed what she had suspected at the wedding – that Queen Yoo was not pleased by her son's choice in wife – but what that meant for her, for the Hae and the Hwangbo remained a mystery. And his enigmatic warning, ' _Don't do anything stupid_ ,' could have meant many things. Was he assuming that she knew more than she actually did and threatening her? Was he just being a jerk? Was he warning her? Soo didn't know – and she was beginning to feel cold, whether from the breeze blowing through the open window or from anticipatory dread, she couldn't tell.

She got up to close it, but she noticed something. At the edge of the lake there was a small, dark shape of a man, standing and staring over the water. Soo squinted until she could see that it was the fourth prince. Unable to go to him, Soo just watched him stand there until he seemed to look up and see her, as if they were in some sort of harmony – on the same wavelength.

Even though he could not see her smile from such a distance, Soo smiled and waved, raising her arm above her head and waited until he raised his own in answer. 'Don't worry about me, Your Highness. I'll be fine. Please keep yourself safe, okay?'

/

The king's lips were drawn back from his teeth in what was either a grimace of displeasure or an insincere smirk – he himself didn't know which. 'Simpering fools, the lot of them.' Bowing and scraping, ready to lick his boots if need be – but prepared to turn on him when they found someone stronger. 'And my job,' Yo thought, 'is to prevent them from finding anyone stronger than me. That's what sitting up here means.' He shook his head that was beginning to ache.

He watched as the ministers finally left, then waited until he, Wook and Won were the only people in the room. The eighth prince had quickly gotten over the marriage, it seemed (did he ever really care for the girl at all?) – he was smiling slightly and his posture was less tight; and while the ninth prince was smiling also, his eyes were shifty, as always. "You obviously have something to say," Yo said bluntly. "Say it."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Wook said with a slight bow. He began as if to open his mouth, then looked pointedly at the two servants by the door.

Yo rolled his eyes and made a gesture, the two men leaving the king and princes alone in the throne room. He raised an expectant eyebrow. "Well?"

"Your Majesty has not been on the throne for a very long time," Wook said carefully, casting a glance upwards at Yo. Won nodded in agreement. "And there would be… Certain people, certain _groups_ – that think Your Majesty's position is a little bit ah, _unstable_ , should I say."

Again, Yo rolled his eyes and leaned forward. "Get to the point," he said. "Somebody wants the throne."

Won cleared his throat. "Wang _Gyu_ , now – the _tenth_ prince's house-"

'They're telling me to get rid of the tenth prince to stabilize my position,' Yo thought and smirked, '…But I have a better plan.' Out loud and in a completely flat tone, he said only, "How interesting." Obviously nonplussed at this reaction (or lack of said), Won and Wook exchanged glances. Yo's smirk widened, and he dismissed the two princes, watching them bow themselves out, then close the door. He rubbed his forehead, trying to dispel the dull pain that was building in his head.

He waved a servant over and told him to call for the Court Astronomer.

Obviously, neither old Wang Gyu nor the childish tenth prince were any sort of threat to Yo, to the throne, to House Yoo – or to Goryeo. What Wook and Won said was true – he needed a scapegoat to show his power – but it would not be the tenth prince. The thirteenth prince's family was weak and pathetic. No, Yo would make sure he gained as much as possible from every movement he made.

That was why he married such a seemingly inconsequential girl, after all. A disowned child of House Hae, a court lady… Oh, there were _rumors_ – the likes of which would probably make those annoyingly large eyes of Hae Soo's widen to take up even more than three quarters of her heart-shaped face. But Yo knew there was _something_ about her even from the beginning, when Hae Soo was betrothed to the king for the first time – the way his brothers had reacted was _amazing_. The ostracized, snappish So; the childish Eun and easily-riled Jung; the cautious Baek Ah; even the levelheaded _Wook_ – _together_ , they all concocted an ill-advised plan for the girl's escape.

She covered the fourth prince's scar. Senior Court Lady Oh had sacrificed herself for the sake of that girl. Both previous kings had _trusted_ that girl with everything in their final moments.

That stupid important girl had so, so much power – and either she did not realize, or she was too idealistic to use it. Therefore, if she was not going to use them – why should _he_ not? If he did not use her, she would be used against him. Hae Soo was like a leash around most of his brothers' necks – and he had just pulled that leash very tightly.

'Of course,' he thought, 'it is a dangerous leash – one that cuts into your palm if you hold it wrong.' Hae Soo was a very strange, interesting woman. If he handled her wrong, she would take him down, or help his brothers take him down in some roundabout way. 'I know how you work, Hae Soo.'

 _"Is that what you'll say if you're tortured, I wonder?"_

 _"I'll tell them Your Majesty told me to do it."_

 _"…You really_ are _something, aren't you?"_

She was ridiculous. How could one pathetic woman be so strong, yet so weak at the same time? That Hae Soo was very much below him, yet he found himself intrigued by her, curious – as one wishes to examine a particularly interesting animal.

The Court Astronomer, Choi Ji Mong entered, bowing, and cutting off his thoughts. "You called for me, Your Majesty?"

"I did." Yo did not look up from the letters, plans and other assorted papers he was searching through. "I want to know what the… Stars have been telling you." He did not bother to keep the sarcasm from his voice. Wang Yo did not believe in fortune-telling. But under the guise of receiving information from the heavens – Ji Mong often proved to have very interesting insights. 'That was why Father kept him around,' Yo supposed.

Choi Ji Mong spread his arms and smiled. "They've been telling me many, many things, Your Majesty. …Ah! And may I congratulate you on your marriage to Lady Hae?"

"No, you may not," Yo said dismissively.

With a bow, Ji Mong shrugged. "I won't then," he said placidly.

"Tell me about Hae Soo."

Ji Mong looked piercingly up at him, then folded his hands in front of himself and began to speak. "Lady Hae's star shines brightly over all of Goryeo," he said. "It is very close to the stars of the Royal Family, especially towards those of the princes and of the late king – as well as yourself, Your Majesty."

"Tell me something I don't know," Yo commanded.

"…With the movement of planets, Lady Hae's star's alignment is very unstable. As of now, as I look through my far-seeing glass, I cannot tell which way it will go – or if it _will_ go anywhere, for that matter. Perhaps, without moving close to anybody's star, Lady Hae will continue to shine brightly. While she herself is not destined for fame or great recognition – she has… The power to _choose_ power. She is very important in Goryeo's fate." Ji Mong smiled. "Is that what you wanted to know, Your Majesty?"

Yo nodded thoughtfully. Then, his face split into a dangerous smirk. "Tell me, Ji Mong," he said, "Is it true I was born under a traitor's star?"

The Court Astronomer looked awkward. "I am sure Your Majesty believes that one's life is what one makes of it and that the stars are simply very rough, er... _Guidelines_ , should I say. I simply try my best to interpret what the heavens tell me," he said carefully. "There is room for error."

The king dismissed the astronomer and rubbed his temples, taking off the heavy king's headdress. This headache seemed only to be getting worse.


	3. Chapter 3

Soo was losing track of time, every day seemed to blur into another. While she may have refused to languish in her rooms, she wandered aimlessly around the grounds, gardens, and palace itself – staying for hours in the library, trying to read. She longed to submerge herself in work, hoping that the completion of menial tasks would cure her of the helplessness she felt in isolation. But even that 'luxury' was denied to her. What kind of highborn woman (a king's wife, to boot) was to work? She was frustrated, bored, lonely – and the trail of court ladies that seemed to follow her wherever she went offered no help. As their overseer, the senior court lady, nicknamed 'Queen of the Damiwon' – Soo had known each and every woman and girl, all two hundred and some of them – if not by name, then by face. But now, they treated her with blank, deferential politeness – seeming to have forgotten that she had once been one of them – and even _lower_ as a water-maid of the gyobang. They called her 'milady' and bowed to her with empty eyes.

A small, quiet gray, gloom descended over her, something akin to depression. She heard that Baek Ah had been sent away to his hometown by his mother. Eun was still staying in the capital with Soon Deok, but she had not seen them at all. Jung was nowhere to be found, and the one person that she wanted to see most of all… So – did not come to see her. She wondered if it was Yo that had forbidden her from meeting with him again.

Yo, himself had not even spoken to her since the wedding. Occasionally a note written in sharp, controlled characters, informing her of his brothers' whereabouts arrived in her quarters – but those notes very pointedly avoided telling her about So. Of course, if it was known that the king's third wife was having an affair with his younger brother, it would have serious consequences for everyone – but she longed just to catch a glimpse of So's profile as he passed her by, or the corner of his mouth twitching up in a secret smile as their eyes met.

After all, she could not live out the rest of her life this way, could she?

Did she have the strength or the power to act? What _could_ she do? Cut off from all sides, where could she turn?

Unexpectedly, the answer came to her in the library. One of the rare times when she was alone – she sat at the table and leafed through books, hoping that one of them would interest her. It was already night – but she did not feel tired at all, and she thought that the court ladies who came to 'collect' her and take her back to her quarters for a meal and sleep – must have forgotten about her. She got up to put back the growing pile of books in front of her and began to place them back neatly on the shelves, when she heard a footstep behind her and whirled around.

Jung grinned at her from behind a bookshelf, badly-hidden worry in his eyes. "It's been a while, sis," he said. He strode over to the window and opened it, cool night air lifting the motionless, tepid dust of the library. The moonlight shone in brightly, brighter than the flickering lantern that sat on the table.

Soo smiled, feeling a surge of relief. "Your Highness," she said, putting the last book down and approaching him. "I'm glad to see you."

"Yeah," Jung said slowly, putting both hands on her shoulders, searching her face for something that he didn't seem to find. "…Are you alright?" he asked.

'No,' Soo wanted to say. 'I feel trapped and alone, and I haven't seen the fourth prince at all. I don't know how much time has passed – and after that farce of a wedding, the king is all but ignoring me – the only thing I am glad for.' But she did not say that. Instead, she smiled and nodded. "I'm fine, Your Highness. Just a bit lonely."

Slowly nodding, Jung stepped back and sat down, motioning for her to sit across from him. He leaned his elbows onto the table and smiled at her. "Baek Ah is back from his hometown. Eun and Soon Deok haven't left Songak yet for some reason," worry clouded his face for a moment, "And So… The king has kept him very busy. I've finally been able to find you."

Soo felt cold. "What do you mean?" she asked warily.

"His Majesty…" Jung said with a wince, a flash of anger, then a carefulness in his voice that Soo had never heard before, "His Majesty has kept you very well-guarded." He looked around warily, then leaned over the table and very quietly said, "So you don't run away. Baek Ah went to his hometown hoping to take one more 'hostage' out of the equation." Jung sounded much older. "But the king called him back to court." He settled back again – and Soo noticed that he had armor on under his dark robe.

"Your Highness," Soo said quietly, looking up into his eyes – eyes that barely bore a trace of the freckless, cheerful boy that she once knew, "Are you doing something dangerous?"

He said nothing for a while, grinning at her and shrugging the question off. "Hey – aren't you glad to see me, Soo?"

"Of course," Soo said.

Jung grinned again, taking her hand that had been resting on the table. "I'll definitely help you," he promised. "No matter what it takes. I won't let anyone get hurt either, Soo. I'm on nobody's side but yours."

Soo looked at him and smiled again, not aware she was doing so. The young prince was so earnest – and she patted his hand. "You don't have to put yourself in danger, Your Highness. I'll be fine. As long as… I still have friends," 'As long as I still have _him_ at least,' "I'll be fine."

The expression that passed over Jung's face was heartbreaking sorrow, soon replaced with a weak smile. "You always say things like that, Soo…" he said, shaking his head and looking down. For a moment, Soo thought she saw the glint of tears. Then, he drew his hand back from hers, passed a sleeve over his face under the guise of getting something from his other sleeve. When he looked up again, he was smiling mischievously. "Guess what?"

"What?" Soo asked.

He lay a wrapped package on the table, full of sweet cakes, just as on the night of her 'engagement'. "Didn't I say?" he said, smiling. "Food always makes everything better. You're looking skinny – so let's eat."

"If I eat all of _this_ , Your Highness," Soo protested with a laugh, "I won't just stop being skinny – I'll blow up like a ball!"

"It's a princely command," Jung said, handing her a sticky rice cake, "You've gotta eat at least one." He paused, a genuine, unworried smile on his face briefly. "You finally laughed," he said softly. Then, he quickly began to help Soo with the 'demolishment' of the smuggled sweets.

When he left, soundlessly, Soo was unaware of the little smile that stayed with her until the court ladies came to escort her to dinner.

"Milady," a court lady said tonelessly. "His Majesty requests your presence at his dinner table tonight."

Soo's eyes widened. In her chambers, she was quickly dressed in the elaborate hanbok that she usually scorned – and adorned with gold, a cool brush full of makeup dragged across her lids and lips – and another across her wrist, covering the scar.

In a whirl of embroidered outer robes and quick, silent footsteps, she stood outside the king's chambers. Before she could draw a deep breath in, the door was opened.

The king, sitting comfortably at the table and already eating looked up and raised an eyebrow. The candles and lamps reflecting off his gold-threaded robes were unpleasantly bright. The doors swung shut behind Soo – and they were alone. She bowed and murmured greetings.

With a careless gesture, Yo gestured at the chair across the table from him. "Sit," he said.

She bowed and sat.

There was a silence. And then, breaking it, his tone slightly amused and the smirk on his lips bearing her no good will, Yo said, "You know, if you're going to have an affair with Jung, you _could_ be a bit more discreet about it. The court might think you don't like me at all."

Soo's eyes widened and she looked up. "Your Majesty-" she began, her throat constricting with fear. 'He wouldn't hurt Jung, would he?'

"Obviously, there's nothing between you other than some friendship and one-sided puppy love – ridiculous things like that," Yo continued, silencing her, "But it looks rather suspicious when my youngest brother goes around sneaking into the library in the middle of the night."

'Was it that late?' Soo thought detachedly, still eyeing the king distrustfully. Then she did her best to keep her eyebrow from twitching angrily. 'If this jerk didn't keep me isolated, then nobody would have to sneak around!' Then she paused her thoughts. 'How did he know? The fourteenth prince only met me two hours ago.'

Yo looked at her, then shook his head. "Your little clandestine meeting was witnessed by one of the Queen Mother's ah, _confidants_. Since Mother doesn't approve of my choice in wife, she really tried to make a stir with this. Of course, I got rid of that… _Rumor_."

Again, Soo's eyes widened. "Her own son?" she whispered, not realizing she had done it out loud. 'I thought she _liked_ Jung, that she wanted to protect him!'

Yo's lips twitched in what could have been a smile or a snarl. "You seem surprised," he said dryly. He ran a hand over his forehead with a wince, as if he was in some pain – then began to eat. From there, the 'conversation' (if one could call it that) turned into unsubtle jabs at Soo from Yo – while Soo received them with silence and (feigned) calmness. But this only seemed to serve to exacerbate the king's frustration. "What is _wrong_ with you, you wench?" he finally snapped, glaring up at her, his golden earrings glinting in the candle-light.

Soo could tell, by the way his eyebrows were drawn together and by the way he kept rubbing at his forehead and temples that he had a headache – that also seemed to be contributing towards his bad mood. Therefore, instead of asking him what the hell was wrong with _him_ , because _she_ was fine, thank you very much, Soo calmly asked, "Your Majesty, do you have a headache?"

He raised an eyebrow at that. "…Yes," he said, pointing at her with his chopsticks rudely, "And _you're_ not helping." He resumed eating.

Soo repressed an exasperated sigh. "Will Your Majesty deign to tell me what I have done to exacerbate Your Majesty's royal headache?"

"You _exist_ ," muttered Yo bitterly, then looked up at her disbelievingly. "…Yah. Are you making fun of me, woman?"

"Of course not, how could one such as me-"

"Oh, just shut up," he cut her off.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Hae Soo said sweetly and inclined her head.

They ate in silence until a court maid entered the room to clear away the plates – and Yo looked up at her to study her. Soo did not flinch under his gaze. Finally, Yo asked her, "How fond are you of the eighth prince?"

At this unexpected question, Soo was taken aback. Finally, after thinking out a fitting answer to the question she began to say, "Quite some time ago, I stayed at his house, even after I lost my memory – I am very grateful to him for that." She did not add how awkward it was with his affair and his purposely badly-hidden feelings for her – and how he had taken advantage of her disorientation and her naivety – and hurt Myung Hee. How, after Myung Hee's death the 'realization' that actually, he had loved her all this time- Soo was not going to get angry or sad in front of the king.

However, Yo did not seem to miss the layer of falseness in her voice or the slight curl of her fingers against the skirts of her robe. He smirked, then let out a laugh. "You don't like him at _all_ anymore, do you?" He shrugged. "No matter."

He did not dismiss her, so she sat with the empty table between them. Yo's headache looked as if it was getting worse as he was now rubbing his eyes and looking at least ten times more displeased than he usually did. Finally, Soo decided to risk it. "If I may take the liberty of suggesting something to Your Majesty…" she started off.

Yo raised an eyebrow, his mouth twisting wryly.

Soo sat up slightly straighter. "Mint is very good for curing headache," she said. "If you take some mint oil and rub it on your temples, that is very effective, because it produces a cooling effect. Lavender is something that may help you to relax, so if you had a little bit of that kind of oil rubbed in the backs of your hands, that could also be helpful in reducing stress-induced headache. Since you're working a lot, it must put a lot of stress on your eyes too, so frequently looking up and having sunlight is good. Eating a bit of ginger helps take away some irritants and swelling that may also be internally causing problems. Ah… What else?" She paused for a moment, looking up towards the ceiling, and then looked over at the king. "Oh, and if you tie your hair up too tightly, that can be a factor," she added. "Your Majesty should drink a lot of water – and stay away from alcoholic drinks like soju. Try to breathe a lot of fresh air and sleep well."

The king was staring at her, looking equally bemused and surprised at her, not sure if he should make fun of her or whether he should ignore her completely. Finally, he slowly asked, "…What's su- 'stress'? Use words that make sense, woman."

Catching herself, Soo realized that she had gone off on quite a tangent. "Ah… That is – tension and anxiety," she said, ducking her head again. Curse her and her modern terminology and curse these Goryeo hicks for not knowing proper Korean. She shouldn't have tried to help him and left the 'doctor-ing' to the doctors. Oh well, too late now. "It's a term from my, ah, hometown. …Forgive me, Your Majesty, I have been too presumptuous."

Yo snorted. "I'd say." He glanced sideways at her. "You're ridiculous, woman."

Soo quickly excused herself, and he let her go.

/

 _The eighth prince's study was dimly lit by a few candles on the large desk. The house was quiet, and the closed windows did not let the cool night air into the warm, slightly stuffy room. His hands clasped over his chest, the eighth prince himself leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowed – no longer holding any pretentions of gentleness. He was thinking, and thinking hard, his brow creased sternly._

 _The ninth prince sat in a chair nearby, his elbows resting on his knees, leaning forward eagerly, the flickering light of the candles throwing dancing shadows over his face. "The tenth prince and his wife are leaving on the morrow, Elder Brother. The wedding has been held and there is nothing more for them here. What are you going to do?"_

 _"Slow them down in any way you can. I will do my best to make the king see sense," Wook said slowly._

 _"Bandits?" Won asked cheerfully. "I can arrange for a few of those. Taking a leaf out of our third brother's book."_

 _Wook looked hard at his ninth brother. "Careful," he said warningly._

 _"Of course, Elder Brother. Caution above all else," Won smiled. "That is your style, isn't it? We don't want to be implicated in the tenth prince's upcoming exile." He paused, seeming to think about something troubling. "What of the Queen Mother? It is widely known that she disapproved of the marriage."_

 _"It has been a very advantageous marriage for the Hae and the Hwangbo. We are very happy about this, especially after Mother's exile all those years ago. The Yoo are not happy, that is understandable," Wook said. "She thinks he has gone too far in securing his hunting dog's leash. But, from what I know, His Majesty has unintentionally thrown his mother from the game."_

 _"How so, Brother?" asked Won curiously._

 _"'Live comfortably, Mother,' he said, and sent her away from the palace," Wook said with no small tone of satisfaction._

 _Won laughed. "Oh, I'm sure she didn't like that."_

 _"It is no laughing matter," Wook said sharply. "She is a dangerous woman, even if she is no longer in the thick of things."_

 _"Of course," Won said soothingly, nodding._

/

Wang Yo was equal parts amused and very confused. That woman was absolutely crazy – that he could decide right here right now. The fresh air did seem to be helping his headache, not that he would admit it. 'What kind of ridiculous person starts lecturing their worst enemy on headache cures?' he wondered, a disbelieving laugh escaping him. If it was _himself_ , or anyone else, really – they would leave him to suffer in silence, unless he _commanded_ them to do something.

Hae Soo was a ridiculous mass of contradictions in the shape of a fragile-looking woman with annoyingly expressive, large eyes – and a larger temper – which was hidden under an even _larger_ shield of stoic politeness. Yo shook his head. 'What a character.'

"… _I am very grateful to him…_ "

Yo snorted. She could lie with a straight face, too.

Over the wall-tops, the moon began to rise. It would soon be autumn – the weather had already turned cooler. The light breeze picked up and turned into a chilly night wind – Yo's headache was almost completely gone, and he let out a breath. A servant with a bowed head came to him. "Their Highnesses have arrived, Your Majesty," he said in a faint voice.

"Tell them to come up," Yo commanded, not looking away from the dark horizon.

The first to come up the stairs to the wall-top was the ninth prince, wrapped in a dark cloak. He bowed, smiling slightly. "Good evening, Your Majesty," he said cheerfully. "We are having very good weather at this time of year."

Yo didn't bother answering him.

A few steps behind his ninth brother, Wook came softly up the stone steps, his soft boots making no sound. He bowed deeply. "The eighth prince greets His Majesty," he said formally.

'Oho. Look who's trying to butter up to me again,' Yo thought dryly, raising a skeptical eyebrow that Wook did not quaver against. "So he does," Yo said, smirking. At a gesture from him, the guards and servants backed away towards the lantern-lit section of wall, a respectful distance away, out of earshot.

Won smiled and Wook began to speak. "We have received news that the tenth prince and his wife intend to stay in Songak for longer than expected."

"Bandits or some such," Won added, shaking his head and sighing. "How unfortunate."

"Indeed," Wook said, his tone implying that it was anything but. "Your Majesty," he said, "The ten-"

Yo threw back his head and began to laugh loudly as the two princes stared at him. When he finished, he looked at the two conspirators. "No," he said. "The tenth prince is as harmless as a child – and Wang Gyu wants a cure for his arthritis, not the throne. You must come up with something better."

"Your Majesty-"

"Is that _all_?" Yo asked, his voice growing dangerously smooth. "Otherwise, there's a cute little wife waiting for me in my quarters that's a lot more pleasant to… _Converse_ with." Obviously, there wasn't – but the carefully blank look that descended onto Wook's face at those words was worth it. Yo smirked.

The eighth prince bowed low and then left, the ninth prince seemed as if he was going to follow, but at the last moment, he turned around, bowed, and approached Yo again. "…Actually, Your Majesty," he said, "I have just realized that you are right. My king, it is _not_ the tenth prince that has designs on the throne. The thought just hit me, forgive this lowly prince for doubting your words earlier." He smiled, tilting his head slightly, as if testing the waters.

Yo's smirk grew into a sharp grin. "You finally see reason, Won."

"Of course, Your Majesty." Won smiled pleasantly. "Always."

/

Soo managed to ditch her trail of court ladies when she got outside, ducking into the garden. Now, she was finally alone. She waited, looking carefully around for any sign of the fourth prince.

Only this morning, she had received a letter, given to her by one of the court maids. The girl said that it was from 'His Highness the thirteenth prince' and then blushed – which seemed to mean that Baek Ah had managed to get the letter to the court maid in person.

The letter, however, was not from Baek Ah. It was from So, his spidery writing slanting hurriedly down the page. It only said, ' _The place where and when you showed your overflowing talents in watering sleeping princes._ ' He wanted to meet her. At noon, in the gardens, near the mulberry tree. Her heart swelled and she quickly burned the paper, knowing that if it was found, she would be accused of plotting, or having an affair, or worse. Yo needed her alive, but that was all. Damage done to her didn't matter as long as she still breathed, she supposed.

A quick burst of joy, a quick burst of fear – then a warmth settling over her that would not go away. She had not seen So since the brief moment from the window – and that did not count. She longed to see his face, reach out and touch him – speak with him and reassure him – tell him that she was alright and that she would be alright. That while Yo was definitely neither kind, nor gentlemanly towards her, but he did nothing more than simply be a jerk, and seeming to be strangely holding back on the jerkiness, at that.

She wanted to see So – and now she would. Through the day, she kept hiding her involuntary smiles at the thought behind her silken sleeves. 'Thank you, Baek Ah,' she thought loudly, hoping that he would hear her. 'Thank you so much.'

The sunshine dappled her shoulders with light through the pale green leaves, there was the sound of a cicada somewhere far away – but no sound of footsteps up the gravel path, no rustle of leaves parting – no-one calling out her name. She waited and waited for what felt like hours – and the sun had moved quite a bit, from its high noon positioning slowly off-center, gradually down – a cool breeze beginning to blow from the lake. 'Where is he?'

It was getting cold and she bit her lip with anxiety. Had something happened to So? Where was he? Why wasn't he here yet? But if she left, she might miss him, for he might come after all… She chewed her lip more, her hands slowly growing cold, twisting in her sleeves.

Suddenly, her ears picked up a rustling and she saw a dark figure move quickly from behind a tree, to the bushes beside her. Soo's eyes widened and she clenched her fists, moving so that her back was against a tree, so that she could not be snuck up at from behind.

But the man in dark clothing that emerged from the bush was So. She breathed out in relief, but the more she looked at him, the less relieved she felt. He looked haggard and tired, his eyes were too sharp and angry – and he was trying too hard to appear calm and happy. "Your Highness," she said, looking into his eyes.

So tried to smile. "Soo," he said. "Are you… Are you alright?" He looked her over with concern, tentatively reaching out for her shoulder.

"Yes. I'm fine, Your Highness." She smiled and took his hand in both of hers, placing it over hear heart and keeping it there. He stepped closer to her, wrapping an arm around her waist, drawing her in. His eyes flicked over her hair, styled as the wife of a king. At her beautiful, rich robes – fit for a queen. At the gold sparkling in her ears and around her neck and fingers. He took in all that marked her as Wang Yo's.

His jaw tightened, and his eyes were sad. "I wanted to see you, Soo," he said. "I don't know the next time I will be able to. There's… A traitor that the king wants me to 'hunt'," he said quietly. "It's… Nothing for you to worry about," he added.

There was a careful blankness as he said it that put Soo briefly on guard, but she waved it away, knowing that So was none too happy, serving as the king's dog. It wasn't that he was trying to hide something – that was just her being paranoid – so she leaned her forehead against his chest in answer, quietly saying, "You do what you have to, to survive."

At those words, he relaxed slightly. Until evening fell, they stayed in each other's arms, by the edge of the lake, sharing languid, slow kisses in the bottom of a rowboat. For a moment, it seemed as if everything was back to normal, when So let out a small chuckle at something she said, when she smiled at him reflexively.

Yet – too soon, much too soon, the sun had sunk into the lake leaving the sky an electric blue color that quickly faded to indigo. Crickets began to chirp, and they drew reluctantly away from each other. "I have to go," Soo said quietly. "I've already been absent for too long."

So nodded and turned away first, his hands folded behind his back, his shoulders stiff. "I'll see you again, Soo," he promised.

She watched him go, until she could no longer see his back, then relaxed her back against a tree, letting out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding.

She returned to the palace, her court ladies slipping into line behind her, ascending the stairs that led up from the outer court to the inner palaces. The air seemed to be fresher than she had remembered, and her footsteps had a confidence that she had not had since her farce of a marriage. Across the courtyard, another procession was approaching.

The king with his courtiers trailing behind him was exiting the throne room. She brought her train to a halt and they waited with bowed heads for the king to pass them.

As Yo walked by her, sparing her a single, scornful gaze, Soo barely caught the hint of mint and lavender in the air as he passed. Her lips twitched as she tried to repress a self-satisfied smile. 'And he called me ridiculous,' she thought triumphantly. 'The jerk _looked_ better too – like he was only ready to _punch_ someone in the throat, rather than _stab_ them through the throat.'


	4. Chapter 4

Soo was not asked to have dinner with the king that night, and she ate alone in her quarters, her windows open to the night air. The court maids shuffled in, bearing food and tea, and when one of them bent over to serve her, she met Soo's eyes, smiling shyly. Soo gasped delightedly. "Chae Ryung!"

Chae Ryung smiled, her cheeks dimpling. "Lady…!" she exclaimed, putting down her dish on the table. "How are you feeling? Are you alright, Milady?" The concern in her eyes was palpable and the other court maids exchanged looks; saying nothing, hanging back slightly.

Smiling, Soo nodded, taking both Chae Ryung's hands in her own. "I'm feeling better, now that I knew I have a friend here."

The younger woman teared up, her lips crumpling with feeling. "Oh, _Milady_!"

When the court maids left, Soo began to eat, watching the moon rise and the 'stars that shone only in Goryeo' rise above the lake and into the sky. Despite all of Goryeo's drawbacks, the sceneries, the architectures and the clothing of this time period were absolutely beautiful. It was a pity that in modern times, there would be pollution that kept people from seeing the stars. At least people could take better care of historical places. She was still in a good mood from her meeting with So, and from the fact that she could avoid the king for today at least.

If she did things right and lived carefully, she could live well, she realized. The king did not seem to know about her meeting with So, as he did not call her, so if she kept 'sneaking around' they could see each other more often. She had Chae Ryung, just like old times, Jung would probably learn how to fly just to bring her a few rice cakes and have a relaxed talk together, and she could probably see Baek Ah if she was careful. There was a way to thrive, and like a flower growing in a crack between concrete slabs; she could flourish.

She would try, and be careful. It was all she could do, but it could possibly be enough; for after seeing So, she could finally sleep peacefully in her luxurious bed. There was hope, and it was more than she had ever expected.

So, in the end, Wang Yo could not take that which was most important away from her.

Her hope, and her belief in better things to come.

/

As she leafed through a book on acupuncture and pressure points to alleviate headaches, a court lady entered the library, stopping a polite distance away, bent forward at the waist, eyes trained at the floor in the perfect posture. "Milady Hae," shesaid, her head bowed, "The king requests your presence on the training grounds for some target practice."

Dryly, Soo thought, 'I wonder, is he going to use me as a target? I don't even want to know how fun he'll find that.' Out loud, with a forcedly pleasant tone, she said, "Very well, thank you for relaying the message, Junior Court Lady Park. I will be there soon."

She noticed the slight widening of the eyes as Soo addressed the woman by name, and Soo almost sighed. She had _worked_ with this girl for years. Her brain did not just automatically wipe out of all her memories when she became the king's wife. It would have been almost amusing, if it had not been yet another proof of her isolation. She resolved to keep reminding them of her ties to the Damiwon, until they realized she was not only a noble – and she had some sort of allies in the palace.

Soo arrived at the archery grounds in the company of Chae Ryung and several other court maids. She watched the king take an arrow from the trestle table, nock it, draw his bow, narrow his eyes, smirk, then release the bowstring. His arrow hit the middle of the target on the other end of the field, and his shoulders dropped.

Forgetting herself, Soo clapped her hands in appreciation – for, at that distance, a shot like that was quite phenomenal. Yo turned back at the sound of her clapping and raised an eyebrow.

Quickly, Soo looked down and folded her hands in front of herself, maintaining an empty facial expression. Yo smirked. Soo pursed her lips and glared at the ground. Yo waved her over with two fingers. "Come here," he ordered.

Wordlessly, Soo bowed and approached to stand to Yo's right side, hanging back a little.

"What do you know of archery?" he asked.

Soo shook her head slowly. "Nothing at all, Your Majesty."

Yo selected another arrow and held it up for her to look at. "Look. They're different to the arrows used in warfare, or the ones used in hunting small game, or birds." He nocked it, and drew his bow again, speaking all the while, his eyes fixed on the target. "They're lighter, for one – and shorter, for another. That makes them easier to shoot, but harder to aim." He let the bowstring go and it snapped back with a 'twang', the arrow thudding into the target across the practice field.

A flag was raised. In the middle, again.

"The difference is most obvious in the fletching – see," he pointed at the feathers at the top of the arrow, "The fletching is wider and larger, so that it flies further and higher. They are meant for distance."

"You are really good at this, Your Majesty," Soo said, shaking her head.

Yo smirked, but it wasn't an unpleasant smirk – it was the expression of one who knew it wasn't an empty compliment, and was proud of his achievements. "I am," he said, nodding. "…I like it," he added, shrugging his shoulders. He picked up another arrow.

"You must practice often," Soo said, a hope rising in her for a low standard of pleasant conversation.

"Hm," Yo said, drawing his bow and aiming. There was a moment when he was glaring sharply at the target, then he let the string go – and it thudded into the middle of the target again. "It's not practice which makes me this good," he said, putting his bow down to his side and looking over at her.

"Talent?" Soo guessed, an awkward smile twitching at the corners of her mouth.

"No."

"A combination of excellent vision, upper body strength and a thorough understanding of physics?" Soo hazarded.

"No. You're grasping at straws, just admit you don't know, Hae Soo," Yo said, sounding mildly amused.

Soo raised both of her eyebrows as she lowered her head, saying nothing.

"It's murderous intent," Yo said with a straight face, twirling an arrow in his fingers.

Soo looked at him. 'Is this his idea of a _joke_? Because with _his_ track record, that's not funny at all.' "Murderous intent?" she asked in too neutral a tone of voice.

"A little bit of imagination, as well." Yo nodded, smirking at her reaction, able to see through her carefully polite front, as always. The arrow spun to a halt between his fingers and he picked his bow up, notching the arrow, but not drawing yet. "You see, Hae Soo," he said in a tone of voice as if he was explaining something entertaining, "If the target transforms into someone – a person I hate, for instance – or just any person – there is a sense of urgency, of actually _wanting_ to hit that target on more than a superficial level."

Soo's eyes widened slightly as she listened.

Yo drew his bow, still smirking, his eyes getting the concentrated, slightly faraway look, narrowing as he aimed. He shot, and was rewarded by a flag signaling 'middle' being waved on the other side of the field. "Like this," Yo said, "I never miss a shot."

Eyeing him carefully, Soo almost smiled. This man was one of the _strangest_ men she had ever encountered. He was someone who could look almost peaceful when talking about murder, riled everyone up for the pure fun of it, never did anything if it didn't bring him or his house gain – but when he was in a good mood (pretending to murder people) he was a lot easier to be around. Soo mentally hoped that all other times she had to deal with Yo were when he was practicing his archery – and they could have relatively calm and (very) relatively calm conversations. 'Somehow, that makes sense,' Soo thought. 'Really messed up sense, but he's a really messed up guy, so nothing's new.'

Yo looked over at her. "You're not going to ask who I was shooting at, little wife?" he asked, his smirk turning back into one boding unpleasantness to come.

"Does Your Majesty really want to tell me?" Soo asked mildly.

"If only to see if your reaction interests me." Yo selected another arrow, twirling it between his fingers again, but slowly. His eyes momentarily flicked to her. "I've kept you out of the loop, Hae Soo," he said quietly, "And as you may have guessed, it has been intentional. I do not intend to make you suffer, but if it is what must be done to keep you from turning the tides against me, then I will do it. You hold no interest for me as a person, as a woman, but in my hands, you are a powerful pawn – and to make sure you stay in my hands, I must needs keep you on a tight leash."

Soo bit her lip as she looked down at her hands, twisting in the front of her skirt; not liking the direction things were headed.

"Have you seen those strange puppets on strings that the commoner street-performers sometimes use?" Yo suddenly asked, snapping his fingers. "It's a perfect analogy." He held out his hand, turning it over slowly. "The king is the all-governing hand, or at least, so it should be. And you – you are the wooden cross-piece that the strings are all attached to." He couldn't suppress a little laugh. "I need to keep you in my grip to pull the strings to keep the show going."

For a moment Soo glanced up, and Yo's eyes seemed oddly sad for a moment. But the moment was quickly gone as he turned to look down at her.

"There's a traitor in the palace, wife," Yo said, a slow smirk beginning spread across his face. "Any time before now, it would have been unwise to tell you, otherwise you and some of the other princes may have gotten into some trouble, trying to do unnecessary things. But now, I have him, courtesy of my loyal Wolf-dog. This traitor, he is someone you may know rather well."

Soo forgot how to breathe for a second, still fixatedly looking down at her shaking, tight hands. 'The fourth prince said he was chasing down a traitor… But he said not to worry… Who is it? Please don't let it be someone I know…'

The arrow spun to a slow halt between Yo's fingers and he stepped closer to Soo. The cold point of the arrow was put under her chin, and she jerked he face up so Yo could look at her. "I want to see the look on your face when I tell you," he said, leaning in and smirking. " _Wang Wook will hang for treason tomorrow_."

Her breath caught. All she could think was; 'So he was caught plotting, finally.' She paled. Despite all that had passed between them, Soo couldn't bring herself to feel nothing when faced with Wook's death. She swallowed, not meeting Yo's sharp eyes, gathering herself, trying not to give the cruel king the satisfaction of a reaction. Her chest tightened and began to ache dully.

"You're crying," Yo noticed, drawing back slightly. Soo's hand flew up to wipe away a single tear rolling down her pale cheek. "Such glad tidings, and yet you weep, little wife," he said, shaking his head.

Soo looked down and bowed. "I apologize, Your Majesty." Her voice was weak.

"And we both know exactly how much _that_ means," Yo said dryly, his hands folded behind his back, still holding the arrow. "…You hate Wook, and yet you weep for him. You are a strange woman, Hae Soo."

"I never hated him," Soo said suddenly, as if thinking aloud. "I was deeply disappointed in him."

Yo laughed, shaking his head. "You don't hate Wook. Do you hate me, then?" He leaned in again. "Tell me."

"Your Majesty is a strong and wise king," Soo said with a trembling voice, bowing.

"Such sweet words," Yo said with a mocking sigh. "But coming from your mouth, I wonder, are they tinged with poison?" He glanced sideways at her, smirking. "Maybe the reason I married you was to get you out of the Damiwon, to keep you from poisoning my bathwater, hm?"

"Whatever the reason, Your Majesty granted me the great honor of becoming your wife," Soo said. "I am grateful."

Yo laughed. "You really _are_ good at playing this game. If you were born a man, you would make a good politician – someone whom I would be wise to keep on my side."

"Your Majesty pays me a great compliment."

"I suppose I did."

They stood in silence, Soo's mind furiously racing, and Yo's expression as peaceful as the cloudless sky.

Yo looked over at her again. "You can't save everyone, you know," he said softly, almost gently.

Soo remembered Court Lady Oh, Wang Moo, Myung Hee, So crumpling to the ground with blood spilling from his mouth, the strangled court lady that King Hyejong had mistaken for an assassin in his madness, the scars on Woo Hee's arms…

"I know," said Hae Soo, tears coming to her eyes. "I know."

/

Her body was tense, and the characters on the paper in front of her seemed to blur into nothing as she tried to force her eyes into focus. All she could think of was a noose, tightening around Wook's neck, and that she could not do anything about it.

"Milady!"

At the sound of Chae Ryung's voice crying out, shattering the stifling silence of the library, Soo dropped her book onto the floor, her tense, trembling hands flying up to her suddenly stuffy chest. "Chae Ryung? What's the matter?" she asked, looking at the disheveled court maid.

Chae Ryung looked as if she had been running, her round cheeks flushed and her breath coming quickly. "He's escaped from his holding cell! His Highness, the eighth prince! They say he's a traitor!"

" _What_?" exclaimed Soo, her eyes widening. 'He _escaped_?'

"He was taken in right after you and the king were at the archery grounds. But then… He escaped. They say he had a knife in his sleeve." Chae Ryung swallowed thickly. "The whole palace is in an uproar. All the gates have been shut and guards are running around everywhere!"

"What about the fourth prince?" asked Soo suddenly.

"Their Highnesses the fourth and ninth princes have been leading many search parties across the court! No-one's allowed to come or go – and His Majesty is enraged…" She lowered her voice. "Senior Court Lady Kim and Junior Court Lady Park say he hurled an entire tea set across the throne room!"

Soo rose quickly, taking both of Chae Ryung's hands in her own. "Chae Ryung, how long ago was this?" she asked. "When did he escape?"

The younger woman paused to think, finally getting her breath back. "…The alarm was sounded half an hour ago, right before nightfall," she said slowly. "They searched the Damiwon first – because there was such chaos, I could leave and go to you, Milady." Then she looked up at Soo and burst into tears. "I just can't believe he's a _traitor_!" she cried. "He was so _kind_!"

Biting her lip, Soo embraced Chae Ryung, patting her back comfortingly. "…There is always a side to a person," she said slowly, "That they don't show to others."

There was the sound of tramping footsteps and the clanking of metal. By the sound of it, many men were making their way down the corridor; then stopped in front of the library doors. A pause, and then door opened.

Wang Won stepped inside, adjusting his sword-belt. He smiled pleasantly at Soo. However, looking down at Chae Ryung momentarily, his eyebrows raised for a moment, and their eyes met. Chae Ryung bit her lip and looked down. Soo noted the exchange, but Won nodded to Soo and she put it aside for the time being. "Lady Hae, good evening," he said. "There, unfortunately, is a traitor on the loose." He shrugged. "Have you seen one? Because _we_ haven't and we're starting to think he may have flown away."

Soo smiled back, bowing slightly. The effort to keep her mouth stretched, her cheeks up and her eyes curved was almost painful. "Unless this flying traitor has turned completely invisible and decided he wanted to read for a little while, I am sure he is not here."

"Ah, a pity," Won said. "Our traitor _was_ the scholarly type." He looked piercingly at Soo, his smile not quiet reaching his eyes.

'He's trying to see if I know it's the eighth prince…!' realized Soo. "It must not have done him well, then. The traitor must not have read enough to know it is folly to betray Goryeo." Keeping her tone light, she forced a smile again.

Won looked satisfied. "Of course," he said, smiling. "I apologize for bothering you, Milady."

"Not at all, Your Highness. Good luck in your search."

The ninth prince left, the guards with him. Soo sank back into her seat and Chae Ryung on the floor, her face turned down and away from Soo. 'The eighth prince has hidden well. He must be moving hiding places to where the guard have already thoroughly searched.' "Chae Ryung," Soo said out loud, "I'm going to take a walk by myself. I'm tired and sad, and I don't want anyone with me. Is that alright? Can you stay here?"

"Milady, is that safe?"

Soo sighed. "Nothing will happen to me, I'm sure of it. It's just… Back when I was staying at the eighth prince's house, right after I lost my memory… Everyone was so _different_ and everything was mostly alright. I'm sad that things had to turn out like this."

Chae Ryung nodded. "…Yes…" she said slowly. "It is so sad…"

/

The Damiwon was where he would hide, Soo decided. The secret passageway was blocked, but even so, it was possible to hide there without being seen for a short while. Besides that, it had already been searched – and there were many more places where a man could hide. Soo lit a lantern, stepping inside the familiar hallways of the Damiwon. The building was empty, the court ladies all on their duties to calm down fussy nobles who were throwing fits about a traitor on the loose – or cleaning up shards of ceramic from yet another of the king's outbursts. 'Seriously, hasn't the guy ever heard of PR?'

The narrow hallway she was walking down was dark and eerily silent, her footsteps echoing too loudly, and her lantern lighting only half a meter in front of herself. Soo took another step, but something sounded strange. Just as she turned, the rustling of her skirts seemed to mask another sound, that of someone's shuffling footstep. Was she just jumpy?

She continued onward, coming to the royal bath suite. Once more, she turned and heard a similar shuffling sound. Her knuckles whitened around the pole her lantern was affixed to. She whirled around, but no-one was behind her.

Soo ducked into a hallway, then covered the light. There was no sound, but that of her own breathing. 'This is like some bad ghost story,' she told herself. 'He's there but he doesn't trust me.'

Uncovering the light, she took several more steps into the hallway, then whipped around, just as she heard that shuffle again. "Your Highness," she said in a steady voice, "Please come out."

The lone shape of a man stumbled from the dark, faltering at the edge of the pool of light that her lantern produced. Wang Wook was looking every bit the part of a hunted traitor.

Soo's hand did not shake, holding her lantern completely steady, staring at what seemed more like an apparition or a shadow than a real man. Wook stared at her with wide eyes. His hair had come undone from its topknot, his robes were torn and dirty, there was a cut on his cheek and a bruise on the other. There were deep circles under his eyes, and his hands shook as he reached out for her, his legs unsteady with exhaustion. "Soo…" he whispered. "Please…"

She stared at him with a strange mix of pity and disbelief. "You should not be here, Your Highness," she said quietly.

His reaching hands dropped to his sides and he looked at her pitifully, stumbling closer. Soo could see more of him now – his split lip, the blood on his clothes, the stolen sword he held in one white-knuckled hand. "Please," he tried again, licking his cracked lips and looking quickly around, "Save me… I-"

"Your Highness is asking me to risk my life for you," Soo said flatly, trying to keep her voice even, her expression neutral. 'Does he realize what he's asking? Does he care?' This was the man who had abandoned her when she needed him most. The man who chose to plot, no matter who got in his way, but had lured her in with sweet smiles, empty sunlit promises, and beautiful calligraphy. She had loved him and would have done anything for him – but things were different now. He wanted her help.

Wook choked at her words, stumbling backwards again and leaning against the wall of the corridor as if all the strength had left him. "Soo, I-" he tried to say, but she looked at him. "I'll- Anything… You-"

She could let him die. She had that power. And she also had the power to try and save him. She had no hate for him, despite what he had down – he did not deserve that much from her, she realized coldly. But she could save his life, because that was what a decent person would do. Maybe that was her reason for coming to Goryeo. To try and save all the lives that she could. For, even though this man was not a good man, he was human – and every human deserved a chance at life that this era may not give to them. Maybe, she could give him that chance. With a cold shudder, Soo realized that the palace had changed her – she who said she would never change. Before, she would not have thought twice about saving a person's life, a person who was _begging_ her. But now, she thought long at hard about it, her heart not wavering in either direction as she thought.

Yo had said that she couldn't save everyone. But she could try.

She surveyed him distantly, then quietly spoke. "Your Highness," she said, "You will we me a life debt. Not one – but two. Once, for the time when you promised you would save me, but didn't – and twice, for the favor I am about to do you. I will try to save you."

He looked at her, and Soo saw fear in him – fear of _her_. It shocked her, but weeks of dinner with the king had taught her to remain expressionless. "You've changed, Soo…" he whispered.

'How dare he say that…' Soo looked at him blankly, using the same tone she used with the king, bringing the lantern up to illuminate him completely, causing him to squint at her. "Your Highness forgets. The palace is a hard place to survive." She sighed, and against her better, colder judgement, said, "I didn't change enough to ignore your cry for help, Your Highness." Her voice almost cracked, almost betrayed her, and she quickly lowered the lantern to hide the tears building in her eyes.

That was when they both heard two pairs of booted footsteps in the hallway. Wook's eyes widened and he looked around like a cornered animal, knuckles white around the handle of his sword. Soo moved quickly, grabbing his arm and dragging him into a closet, closing the door just as the shapes of two men appeared in the dark of the corridor.

"Sis?"

Soo held the lantern up to see Jung and So, the latter walking behind the former. Her heart sank as she saw the both of them had swords. "Your Highnesses," she said, already knowing the answer, "What brings you here?"

Jung looked confused to see her. "I could ask you the same thing," he said, tilting his head to the side. "We're looking for Older Brother…" He paused. "Wook isn't anywhere," he added, "And we're doing another unofficial sweep of the grounds. How about you, sis?"

So's eyes were sharp over Jung's shoulder, meeting hers with an obvious question. Soo, however, was afraid. So would do anything to keep her safe. And he would kill his own brother under the king's command, and to throw suspicion off of her who saved him. She trusted So, trusted him with her life. But he had not told her the name of the traitor he was hunting, telling her not to worry about it – and she knew to trust his sword and his motivation. Therefore, she only sheepishly smiled, heart aching as she layered falsehood upon falsehood for her love. "I wanted to be alone," she said. "This is the place where I feel most comfortable in the palace…" Her eyes grew sad with true emotion, and her voice quavered a little when she said, "It's just… I remember when I was living at the eighth prince's house, everything was so…" she trailed off. "Everyone got along much better."

Jung looked sad too. So stepped forward and took her hand on one of his own, meeting her eyes carefully. "I'm going to the barracks," he said. "Don't wander around at night with a traitor on the loose, Soo. This isn't the kind eighth prince you remember – this man is vicious."

"What has he done?" Soo asked.

So looked down. "Plotted together with a certain Lord Park Sul Hui to rise to the throne in Yo's place. He killed two guards during his escape." He shook his head, meeting her eyes, and there was sadness in him, eating away at him, but no remorse. "You have to understand, Soo. He is ready to do anything for power. But for you, for what he had done for you, I promise – I will make his death as painless as I can. If there is anything you want to tell him…" His eyes were serious and he tried to speak comfortingly as he trailed off, looking down.

Soo shook her head, swallowing and also looking down, ashamed.

So glanced over his shoulder at Jung. "Can you take her back?" he asked. "The king ordered me to search all night."

Nodding, Jung said, "Yes, Brother."

Soo lifted her hand to So's cheek. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"I'm sorry this has to happen too," So said. He drew back turned away and disappeared into the shadows

She noticed that it was strange that Jung did not move until So's footsteps were no longer heard echoing around the Damiwon corridors. Something began to nag at her but he looked at Soo and took the lantern from her, anxiously looking around. "Did you _really_ not see Wook?" he asked urgently, in a low voice. "I _know_ you wouldn't want him to die, right? I don't believe that he's a traitor. And Baek Ah doesn't either." He searched her face for any disbelief, horror, careful blankness – but when he found none and only got only got a soft nod, he continued, emboldened. "…We got him safe passage on a ship to Qing."

"That's dangerous," Soo said, her breath catching. "Your Highness, what if His Majesty finds out?"

"He won't. A-and unless you tell him…" Soo shook her head sharply, and emboldened, Jung said, "We did things really carefully. I got the money easily. Baek Ah went to the gyobang to talk to that Woo Hee woman and gave her the money for passage. She's keeping it until Wook shows up." He swallowed and looked down guiltily. "Older Brother doesn't think…" Jung swallowed again, "So thinks that Wook _was_ plotting, and he said that he planned on scapegoating Eun in his place, even having secret meetings with the king. But he wouldn't _do_ something like that! I never told So…"

Soo's eyes widened. "I see…" she said slowly.

From inside the closet behind her, there came a tap on the door. Soo stepped aside, letting Wook climb out. Jung's eyes widened, and his mouth opened and closed in shock, but no sound came out. Tremulously, the eighth prince grasped Jung's arm. "I will not forget this," he whispered. "Thank you."

"Thank Sis," Jung said, gripping Wook's arm in return, getting his voice back. "Not me."

/

Jung had brought water and bandages secretly, leaving them with Wook and Soo in a back room of the Damiwon used as a storage place. He shakily smiled at Soo and said he would wait outside, keeping watch. Soo set her lantern down on a crate and turned back to Wook, who collapsed onto another. He began to wipe his face clean of blood, holding the damp cloth in shaking hands. Soo looked around the room. "Nobody should come here anytime soon, but move a few crates in front of the door just in case." She pushed a roll of thick carpet fabric aside to reveal a door in the back wall. "This leads out to the back of the Damiwon at the palace gardens, and if you cut through the woods, you'll be in front of the gyobang." Not meeting his eyes, she passed him by. "…Stay here until someone comes for you."

He looked at her with dark-circled eyes. "Who do you believe?" he asked quietly.

Soo's hand froze on the door's handle. "…It doesn't matter," she said. "I will save you because I can't let you die. I can't let _anyone_ die…"

"Then…" Wook's voice shook, "You do not love me any longer?"

Soo turned quickly around eyes blazing, trying to hold back tears of disappointment with the man who had cast such an illusion over her. "I did not love you when you turned your back on me!" she exclaimed. "In that moment, I _stopped_ loving you – if I ever even did in the first place. I began to see more and more of you – of what you were hiding from me. On the day of the failed coup – I realized who you were." She caught her breath. "…If you really want to know who I believe, Your Highness, I believe the fourth prince. I know that you want power – and that you want to become king. …But even still, when it is a choice between me saving your life or causing your death, I'd rather save a life."

"Then-"

The cold words spilled easily from her mouth. "It doesn't matter that it is you, Your Highness. It is a human life that I have the power to save, so I will."

"Soo…" Wook said hoarsely, a plea in his eyes.

"I don't want the fourth prince to have to kill his brother," she said.

"You _have_ changed…" Wook said, looking down, his hair falling down to obscure his face. "Even so," he said, "Thank you for saving my life."

Soo nodded. "Sleep well, Your Highness," she said, opening the door, and softly closing it behind herself. 'I _have_ changed. I think it's the only way to live the way you think is right in this palace. I was wrong to think otherwise – but I will save whoever I can when I have the power to do so. Because I can't just turn my back on someone. I can't save everyone, your Majesty, but I can try.'


	5. Chapter 5

Hwangbo Yeon Hwa bit her red lips – red not with makeup, but with blood. Her throat burned with anger, fear, and suppressed tears, and her perfectly dry eyes burned with rage. Rage at her situation, rage at the unfairness of it all – and rage at her brother that had ruined everything, but that she could not bring herself to hate, somehow. One moment she wanted to scream, 'How could you do this?! To me, to mother! To all of House Hwangbo! We all worked so hard, and you ruined it all – and you'll die for it!' The next, she wanted to be weeping and tear her hair out with worry for him, for he was still her brother, despite everything.

Wook would die. Yeon Hwa was sure of that. All he could do was to prolong his fate, but in the end, in a day or two – he would hang as a traitor. Yeon Hwa was not sure what would happen to herself and her mother. Would they be exiled, living in squalor and poverty as they had before? Or, as a traitor's family, possibly aiding and abetting Wook in his plot for the throne, would they hang as well? Would the king be merciful? Almost laughing, hysteria bubbling up inside of her, Yeon Hwa shook her head. Wang Yo didn't know the meaning of mercy. Queen Yoo had instilled that in him since birth, probably. Yeon Hwa would be lucky if she died – for she knew exactly the torture methods used in the palace's prisons. She had studied them, intending her enemies to suffer.

She should have known that Wook would not succeed in his plans. She should have bet on it.

Yeon Hwa was completely alone. Nobody would help her now, she could not coerce a single soul to do her bidding. Besides disorienting her and almost _breaking_ her – it enraged her. Once again, she was made powerless, and now, there was no foreseeable future. Not for her, not for her house.

She had wanted stability, power – all she had not had as a child. She wore the richly embroidered robes she was not able to wear in exile. Every time she ate, she remembered the times when she could not. Every time her mother bowed to the passing Queen Yoo, bile rose in her throat and she wanted to stab that vindictive _bitch_ until she bled out and stopped moving. Every time her brother looked down with that placating, ingratiating smile when he spoke to his brothers, she wanted to cry. These were the scars her family bore. Was it so wrong of her to make sure they did not have to suffer any more?

Wook's motives… At this point, she had no idea what they were. Yeon Hwa had always though her brother was the same as her, wanting a stability, a future where their family, their _house_ came out on top. Wook had always been so careful, so patient and quietly strong, never drawing undue attention to himself. He had the reputation for being quiet and calm, marrying a sick, older woman from a high-ranking but weak family – a calm, caring man with no pretentions to power. Yeon Hwa always thought he would bide his time this way for the rest of his life, and she took her fate in her own hands, deciding to rise to the top in any way she could. Did she become greedy? No. There was always the chance that at the point where she was, she could once more be thrown away. 'But if I became more powerful, if I became the queen of Goryeo – no-one could touch me or my family ever again.'

Was this ambition? Maybe it was, for she never settled for less if she could have more. But did she care? As long as she got what she needed and wanted, it didn't matter what drove her, ambition or desperation.

She should have married Yo, even if he never became king. Even if Queen Yoo disapproved, she would have to be under the protection of the most powerful house of Goryeo. House Yoo of Shinju affiliated with the Hwangju Hwangbo… She would have had the power and stability she had always craved and coveted. So had never once loved her as anything but a sympathetic younger sister, before she had shown him her ambition, and she was foolish enough to expect anything different.

But now, she could do nothing but sit and wait until Wook was killed and Yo decided to do the same to her. What would become of their mother? Would she be thrown away into exile, yet again? Or would she hang alongside her children? Angry, sad tears rose to Yeon Hwa's eyes.

She had been sitting in this way for the longest time. It must have been hours, but it felt like years. When she had been escorted to her quarters, the open window was dark. Now, the sky was lightening with the pale pink of dawn. She felt angry even at the weather, at the beauty of the morning on which her fate would be decided.

Rather than suffer the indignity of the noose, she decided, she would slit her own throat with her hairpin. She would die on her own terms, and that would be her last satisfaction, because in the end, they could take her family, her rank and status, but they could not take her free will. It would be her most expensive hairpin, made from pure gold, with jadeite and ruby inlays, thin silver petals surrounding a large ruby on the end. 'It would be fitting,' she thought dryly.

Outside, she heard footsteps as if a procession was passing by, then stopping right at her door. She pulled the pin from her hair and slipped it into her sleeve, just as the door opened.

It was the king that stepped in.

Yo looked back to wave away the court maids and servants that followed him. "Bring us tea, then leave us." They stepped back, and the door closed with barely a sound. Yeon Hwa said nothing as Yo crossed the room, taking the chair across from her at the table. "Hello, Yeon Hwa," he said, his informal address very close to catching her off-guard.

Yeon Hwa knew how he worked. He would take his amusement where he could. And if she was to die this way, she would not give him any satisfaction. "Hwangbo Yeon Hwa greets the king," she said formally, rising and bowing from the hips, her hands folded in front of her waist. Inside her sleeve, she clutched the hairpin, her knuckles white, and the inlays cutting into her palm.

"You can sit," he said.

She sat, her face holding a blank smile, poison in her eyes. Yeon Hwa waited for him to speak, and seal her fate, but what he said caught her off-guard even further.

"I want to make a deal with you."

But she smiled anyway, lowering her head. "I did not realize I was in a position to bargain, Your Majesty," she said sweetly.

"You're not," he said with a crooked smirk that disappeared as soon as he made it. "But I want to give you a chance."

'Why?' She watched him carefully. 'What's in it for you?'

The door opened silently, and a court lady with a tray walked in, soundlessly gliding over the floor, pouring tea for both of them, then at a gesture from Yo, leaving her tray on the table between Yeon Hwa and the king. She glided backwards, and the door shut again, just as quietly. Yo took a sip of his tea and looked over at her. Yeon Hwa did not move towards the cup sitting across from her on the table, and Yo's jaw tightened.

He reached across and switched their cups out. "I'm not poisoning you. I'm offering you a way to survive this, and make sure your mother does not suffer." He sounded impatient, but he looked her in the eye, and drank from the cup she did not.

"What would Your Majesty have me do?" she asked, not even recognizing her own voice – realizing that she had spoken only after he nodded.

"Wook is still inside the palace grounds. But there is someone he trusts, someone hiding him from me," Yo said.

"It is not I, Your Majesty," Yeon Hwa said quickly, willing him to believe her.

"No," Yo agreed, "It isn't. As soon as I was told he escaped, I had you stay here, so that you would not be implicated in his disappearance and escape in any way."

Slowly, Yeon Hwa lifted the teacup to her lips and drank.

Yo faintly smiled before saying, "I need you to do something cruel, Yeon Hwa. I need you to find him. Wook is no fool, he will not believe anything I or my people tell him. But he will always believe his cute younger sister."

"If I find him for you… You'll kill him, right?" Yeon Hwa asked, biting her lip again, reopening the place where she had bitten it earlier, tasting blood. She tried to force away the vulnerability in her tone. "Why would I do that?"

"I will not pretend I will spare him," Yo said, his eyes cold. "But if he does not resist, his death will be painless. If you find him, your mother will live just as she always had, with every comfort at her disposal. I will send her away to Hwangju from the capital."

Yeon Hwa's voice shook, and she cursed herself again for that weakness. "And I?"

Yo took off a golden ring from his finger, with a ruby set into it, that looked so familiar- He set it sharply in front of her. "You could become a queen of Goryeo," he said, meeting her eyes.

Her throat was dry, and for a long time, she could say nothing, seeing the rising sun's rays glinting off the ring. "All to catch a traitor?" she asked. 'What's the catch?'

"To consolidate all the power in Goryeo. I will make every powerful noble house mine, so that no-one will dare stand against me. I have House Park of Suncheon, House Kim of Cheongju, House Hae – and now I will either have the Hwangbo, or I will destroy them. Moo failed in this, despite trying to follow in Father's footsteps and marrying a woman from every house he could. I will reign in the Songak elites – and strengthen the dynasty Father started, and Moo failed to uphold." His gaze was serious. "Think about it, Yeon Hwa," he said almost gently.

"Do you promise?" She knew she sounded childish, but she needed a confirmation that she could do this. Even if her house was powerless, her mother would be alive and well. And Wook-

She refused to think about it. It would be better this way, after all he had done; and maybe Yeon Hwa and her mother could have the peace that they so desired, that they _deserved_.

"Yeon Hwa," Yo said, almost amused, "If I make a promise, I will keep it. But if I promise you nothing, that is when you have to be wary. I always pay my debts." He stood, but she could not find the strength in her legs to do the same. The hairpin in her sleeve felt cold and heavy, a lock of hair that had been held in place tumbling down. "I give you my word, that if you do this for me, your mother will be well, and you will be Goryeo's fourth queen. …If you do nothing, everything will be forfeit. I will not be refused a second time."

She heard him walk away, and the door open, then close.

Tears began to stream down her face, and her arms fell weakly to her sides as she leaned back in her chair, the hairpin falling from her sleeve onto the floor with a clatter. The stability and power she had always wanted and her mother's comfort – for her brother's death.

Hwangbo Yeon Hwa knew better than anyone that everything came with a price. That simply the act of being in the palace required one to give something up, and that power cost more than anyone could imagine. In this case, she _knew_ what she had to do, what she would do, even if she didn't want to. She could not sacrifice everything just for Wook. She would have to sacrifice Wook for everyone else. Her own blood brother for her house, her family, her mother, herself.

What would their mother think? Would she never look Yeon Hwa in the face again? 'But at least she'll be _alive_ to hate me.'

She stared down at the glittering ring on the table in front of her, until her eyes hurt from how brightly the sun reflected off of it, and when she closed her eyes completely, she could still see it. It was a replica of the ring he had given her years ago, asking to marry her for the first time. Things had been so _different_ then.

Passing a sleeve over her eyes to dry them, Yeon Hwa leaned down and picked the hairpin up from the ground, putting it back into her hair. She took the ring. It sat cold and oddly heavy in her palm, but as she turned it over and over, it began to grow warm.

Yeon Hwa stood, she checked her reflection in the mirror, and smiled widely, falsely, bitterly, just as she always had. She re-applied red to her lips.

Just before she left the room, she slipped the ring onto her finger.

/

She would do it. Yo knew that full well as he left Yeon Hwa's chambers, feeling the absence of the familiar ring on his finger and the taste of tea in his mouth. She was an immensely intelligent, ambitious woman – and she knew when to cut her losses. He just gave her a chance to do so. It wasn't anything as weak as mercy, nor as pathetic as old affections re-awakening; Yo dismissed _that_ out of hand. He didn't _want_ Yeon Hwa dead or exiled. She could be much more useful to him if she was on his side. He respected her, that was true. But anything more? Maybe it was an interest. But nothing more than that.

If she was _not_ something, Hwangbo Yeon Hwa was not a fool. She was strong, and she was ruthless – all those qualities things that made her even more beautiful. 'A woman who can unflinchingly kill someone to secure her family's position, and smile all the while – what more could anyone want?'

What he was doing was not so different. The noble houses would either back him or be destroyed – because he was king, and he would _stay_ that way – and he would make his mother happy. Yo hoped she was resting well at her temple in Chungju. She would return in a year and see his progress, and she would finally be able to rest easily as the Queen Mother.

Oddly enough, it was Hae Soo that his thoughts travelled to next. She would be asleep now, he knew. She would sleep, and sleep, and sleep – and still yawn and look tired every morning. Sometimes she would drink strong tea and complain that it was nothing like some drink from her hometown. 'Ka-pi? Ko-pi? Something like that.' Yo had his spies all keep him posted on his third wife's movements, and they would come back with ridiculous things like that to report. But there was something bothering him, and he needed to see her to confirm it. How was she taking the news about Wook?

He doubted she was happy about it, but he also doubted she was particularly shocked. She was a strange woman, taking that kind of news the way she did. Even though she was wronged by the eighth prince, she seemed _distraught._ It was as if she didn't hold grudges for longer than a day. At this point, she probably already knew of his escape. It was something odd abut Hae Soo. She seemed like a fool, and did countless foolish things, said hopelessly foolish things… But she was no fool. She was sharp. He didn't understand her at all, her motivations, her foolish ideals and her occasional slip-ups into her hometown's dialect.

The mint, however, did wonders for his headaches, he had to admit.

Hae Soo was not asleep, however, Yo found when he barged into his lady wife's chambers. She stood at the window, looking at the sun rising over the lake, fully dressed, her hands folded in front of herself, her smooth face holding an enigmatic expression, something like sadness, but not quite. She did not notice him at first, he waved his train of servants back, and she turned to face him, her smooth cheeks oddly pale.

"You're up early," he said dryly.

Hae Soo bowed. "Hae Soo greets the king," she said formally in her 'look at me I'm so quiet and polite, but I'm actually judging you really hard' voice.

Yo raised an eyebrow, saying nothing to that. He moved to stand beside her at the window. "You know Wook has escaped, then?"

She sighed almost inaudibly. "Yes, Your Majesty. The ninth prince and his guards came upon me in the library," she admitted.

'Good,' he thought with some satisfaction, 'She didn't try to lie.'

"Why has Your Majesty honored me with your presence?" Soo asked after a while, looking up at him.

'Honestly, there really wasn't any reason,' he thought. "I was curious," he said. "Will you watch the hanging?"

Hae Soo paled significantly, and he almost felt bad for needling her this far, as she looked deeply upset. "Only if Your Majesty orders me," she said in a brittle voice, not facing him, looking somewhere over his right shoulder.

"You are under no obligation, then," he said in a contrivedly bored tone. "I was simply curious."

She bowed again. "You are too gracious, Your Majesty. I have no stomach for such proceedings."

/

It was only half an hour before noon when Jung ran into her chambers, ignoring the protests of the court maids. "Soo!" he yelled. "Wook's in the palace gardens, and he's surrounded!"

Soo stared at him. "What?"

"Yeon Hwa's with him!"


	6. Chapter 6

The gardens were in chaos. Wook stood in a loose circle of guards, all pointing their pikes at him, his sword clutched in one white-knuckled hand and shoulders heaving whit his shuddering breaths. Jung and Soo stood, unable to do anything but watch, standing at the gardens' entrance. They saw Yeon Hwa turn her back on her brother, and the guards coming out from behind the trees and bushes, weapons out. Soo saw Yeon Hwa turn away and cover her face, the princess's eyes filling with tears, and read her lips as she said to Wook, "Don't think of me badly, please. I'm sorry… For Mother…"

Wook's eyes were wide and terrified, and he shook, his face paling considerably. The guards slowly closed in on him.

The eighth prince struck out, batting one of the men's pikes away, rolling into the momentary space – out of the circle. He jumped up into the air, kicking a man in the back, sending him falling face-first at the surprisedly turning guards. A man rushed at him, and Wook ducked, kicking his legs out from underneath him, and slashing another man's arm as he came up.

He fought like a cornered animal, viciously and with the energy of ten men, making sure his back was always guarded.

"I have to help him!" Jung said, and Soo saw that he was shaking.

She bit her lip, grabbing his arm. "No, you _can't_ – His Majesty-"

"He's my _older brother_! He will not risk Mother's rage!" Jung roared, picking up a fallen pike. His eyes were aflame, and his shoulders heaved as he swung it at a guardsman.

"Your Highness!"

That was when the king arrived.

/

The pavilion was silent as he strung his bow, watching the fight, watching Soo hold Jung back from rushing in and helping the cornered traitor. 'Wise girl.' Won stood beside him, a vacant smile on his face, and Yen Hwa sat there, unable to tear her eyes away. The servants were all silent, standing outside, their heads down.

Jung said something to Soo and she involuntarily let go, the fourteenth prince darting forward. He was intercepted by more guards, however, and he struggled against them, his eyes wide.

Yo's eyes were empty of any feeling as he almost lazily picked up his bow. Yeon Hwa looked past him, her voice frozen in her throat, staring at her ninth brother. The smile on Won's face was small, but satisfied as he looked at the king pick up a barbed arrow and draw his bow.

The guards drew back from Wook, giving Yo a clear shot.

Yeon Hwa looked away, choking with tears that threatened to overwhelm her as she could no longer watch. Yo drew the bow, narrowed his eyes as he aimed – then let go the bowstring.

The first arrow hit Wook in the shoulder.

He jerked back with the force of it, almost falling onto his back – and he looked up at the king with disbelief, curling his fingers around the shaft, staring at the blood on his hand. Then the pain and shock hit him and he fell to his knees with a groan. His bloodied hands scrabbled in the dust as he tried to stand up. His eyes widened with fear. "No…!" he muttered. "No…! Not like this…"

Jung, still fighting the guards holding him back, yelled, " _Brother_!"

Soo clapped her hands over her mouth. Like a fool, she ran to stand in front of the cowering eighth prince. It obvious that she didn't know what she was doing, everyone knew it. Won raised his eyebrows, looking curious, Yeon Hwa bit her lip and looked over at the king, looking to see what Yo would do next. He knew she was watching him, but he didn't care. "You _idiot_ girl," Yo growled to himself, glaring at Soo. She stood with a straight back, her face pale and her arms spread out, her large, liquid eyes fixed on Yo, pleading. 'How could a woman look so fierce and so weakly begging at the same time?' he wondered.

He could not hear her, for her voice was too weak to carry from the shock. But he read her lips, and they said, 'Please.'

" _Move_!" roared Yo, but she did not budge, swallowing and squaring her jaw. Her legs were spread far apart, planting herself between Wook and the king's rage. 'Does she _want_ to die? What's _wrong_ with her!'

Yeon Hwa covered her mouth as Yo reached for an arrow. Behind her, Won stepped closer and leaned over her shoulder, speaking in a light voice, just above a whisper by her ear. "Watch carefully," he said. Yeon Hwa did not move or look at him, staying stock-still, her lips pressed together so tightly they were white, her lip color all bitten away.

"Soo!" Jung called out, desperately. "Sister! _Soo_! Don't!"

He picked up another arrow, one that seemed oddly slim and light, drawing his bow with one fluid motion, then letting go the string. It was so easy to hit one's target at this short a distance. 'Won thinks I won't kill her,' Yo thought. The arrow flew and struck-

Right through one of Soo's long, ornate sleeves. 'He's right, unfortunately.'

If possible, Soo's face turned paler. Maybe it was from fear and shock, but still, foolishly, she did not move. Yo gritted his teeth and let out an annoyed growl. 'I'm giving you a _chance_ , you idiotic woman!'

Jung yelled and fought, but fifteen against one was a losing battle, and he still could not reach Soo.

"That was a warning!" Yo called to her. "I will not be so merciful next time." He picked another arrow of the same type, drawing his bow once again, slowly – as if to give her time to turn and leave. She did not.

'You _stupid_ woman. Aren't you _afraid_?! At least she isn't moving at all – makes it easier to aim well.' He narrowed his eyes, aiming carefully, and let the bowstring go with a 'twang'.

The next arrow was aimed lower.

It pierced her skirts, missing her leg.

With a cohort of guards, the fourth prince burst into the gardens

Yo's eyes were cold and narrow as he met Wook's, and he picked up another barbed arrow at his leisure.

So's eyes widened as he saw Soo standing over Wook's cowering figure, and jumped in front of Soo before Yo could shoot. "Your Majesty!" the fourth prince called, desperate, "Allow me!"

"Step aside, Wolf-dog."

So let out a growl, then grabbed Soo by the shoulders throwing them out of the way, just as Yo drew his bow, aimed, and shot. The second arrow hit Wook in the gut, and he coughed, blood dripping from his mouth. Yo lay his bow down and watched.

Wook panted harshly, looking up with clouding eyes at Soo. "Beware… Of the fourth… Prince…" he managed to say through labored breaths. Soo's eyes widened, and tears began to spill over. "I… Should have known… Soo… I-I'm sorry…I-" He cut himself off, looking down. With effort, he looked up at So. "End this, brother…" he said with an oddly clear voice.

So swallowed, then nodded. His knuckles were white around the hilt of his sword, and he took a stance, sweeping the sword back, about to strike. Wook looked satisfied, and he smiled slightly, looking up at Yeon Hwa, Soo – then _past_ Soo at nothing. He was about to say something, a name, when So let out a roar of pain and slashed down, blood spraying his face.

Wook's eyes were blank when he fell, and the sound his body made when it hit the ground was like a sack of rice. Heavy and odd.

Soo fell to her knees, wide eyes, staring, lips trembling, her voice dying in her throat. A large, clear tear rolled down her cheek.

So looked at the blood on his hands, on his sword and began to laugh, a strange, choking laugh, tears in his eyes.

Yo watched this, then turned and left, brushing a hand against Yeon Hwa's shoulder as he left. The queen-to-be was twisting his ring around on her finger, face white with shock, and tear streaks on her face, staring at her brother's dead body.

/

Yo kicked the door open, throwing aside the court maids that stood on attendance outside the third queen's rooms, storming in. Soo, sitting at her desk, looked up at him with wide, terrified eyes and rose, stumbling back as he advanced on her. His wide eyes were full of fire as he looked her, and he spoke through his teeth, dismissing the court ladies in the room. "Are you insane?!" he growled.

Soo did not answer.

Yo swept a chest full of her jewelry off the tabletop, sending it to the ground with a loud crash and scattering across the wooden floor. Soo stared at it, but he did not seem to even notice – his eyes were fixed on her as he roared, " _Answer me, woman_!" He advanced on her, backing her against the wall, his lips drawn back from his teeth in almost animal fury. " _What were you thinking_?!"

Her heart in her throat, Soo could not find words.

"Do you want to die that badly?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous. "Did you want me to shoot _you_ instead of Wook?"

"N-no, Your Majesty," Soo said breathlessly, looking around herself in faint hope of escape.

"No?" The side of his mouth went up in a smirk, the same kind of smirk she saw when he was aiming the arrow at Wook's heart. "Then tell me, _wife_ ," he spat the word as if it was distasteful, "What were you thinking?"

"I was trying to save a life." The words were out of her before she could stop them – and she held a white-knuckled fist over her fearfully and stuffily beating heart.

"What?" Yo looked at her, surprised that she even answered.

"Everyone here in the palace is just trying to survive." Soo spoke, but seemed to be watching from afar, the words simply being forced form her in her the point past fear. "Him no less. Wang Wook was not a good man, but are you? He would have gone to Qing – and never bothered you again, bu-but you didn't give him the chance."

The king stared.

"A-and I get it, you have to show your strength, you have to make an example out of those who plot against you. You're doing what you have to do to survive, too." She swallowed. "B-but it isn't a crime to live. It really isn't. I didn't want anyone to die, not His Highness, not myself, not you. I… I just wanted everyone to live." 'And for this little speech, I'll probably hang by morning,' she thought distantly.

Yo looked at her with the most sincere shock on his face. He blinked slowly with wide eyes, then began to laugh, and laugh hard, his anger now with a tinge of amusement, throwing his head back. "You really do have a death wish, Hae Soo," he said, shaking his head. He looked up at her, smirking. "I could have shot you." He took one of her ruined sleeves and held it up for her to look at, an arrow having ripped through it only a few hours ago. "That could have gone through your arm." He pointed down at the tear in her skirts. "…Your leg." He raised an eyebrow. "One of those arrows could have gone straight through your chest." He made his point by tapping slightly lower than her collarbone with two fingers. "You risked your life to try and save Wook – and not even because you liked him or he could offer you something." He shook his head. "I really don't understand you at all."

Soo said nothing.

"I could kill you now," he said in a low growl. With a sudden movement, he took one of the long, ornate, golden hairpins from Soo's hair and pointed the sharp end at her throat. A lock of hair tumbled down across the side of her face. Soo's breath caught, her eyes widened and she stood completely still as the point of her golden hairpin drew an impossibly thin red line across her throat. Yo's eyes were fixed on her the entire time, flaming. "What do you say to that?"

"Your Majesty needed me alive to exert control over the fourth prince," Soo whispered, swallowing. "I do not believe you would have killed me."

"The fourth prince who now has resentment against you. I wonder, does he love you now?" Yo said with a cruel smirk. "I could kill you now. I could have killed you then, too, just like this." Despite his words, however, the point of the golden hairpin drew back from her throat.

'At this point, it can't really get any worse for me,' she thought tiredly, then met Yo's eyes. "If you wanted to kill me, Your Majesty, I would already be dead," she said quietly. "You told me yourself, you never miss a shot. Those were warning shots. You were giving me a chance." She shut her eyes tightly, but her voce did not shake. "Your Majesty could kill me now. A-and I would die – and I wouldn't be able to do anything about it."

Yo raised an eyebrow as he looked at her, his smirk disappearing for some time, before he snorted and shook his head. "This outspokenness of yours would kill you more surely than any arrow," he said. "I haven't seen this side of you since before you entered the palace."

Soo didn't know what to say.

"You're walking on thin ice now, Hae Soo. And this time, when the ice breaks and you sink into this water, you won't come up in the princes' bathing pool with all of your memories conveniently gone." He smirked, holding her golden hairpin up. "This was a 'warning shot', little wife. Don't stand on the wrong side of me again."

Reaching down to her side and lifting her limp hand by the wrist, he placed the hairpin in her palm and turned away.

Soo convulsively clutched at her aching chest and sank down, back sliding down the wall.

/

 _"Let's stop."_

 _"Lies…! Y-you're lying!" she said, shaking her head, the words spilling desperately from her mouth. He turned away, and she stumbled forward, wrapping her arms tightly about him from behind._

 _"We promised not to lie to each other," he said, breaking out of her hold, and then walking away._

 _He never looked back once, even as she sank to her knees, covering her tear-streaked face._

/

Baek Ah brought four bottles of soju, cakes and two cups with him that night. They sat side-by side on the floor of her room, their backs against Soo's bed, drinking. Finally, Baek Ah said, "The king sent So away to Seokyeong to oversee the building of a fortress. …He has already left. He'll be gone for a very, very long time."

Soo had no tears left inside of her, but she let out a sad keening sound, and leaned her forehead against Baek Ah's shoulder, the cup falling from her hand and rolling in slow circles around the floor. "I- It's all my fault… Why did I come here?" She fumbled for the remaining full bottle and took a swig, as Baek Ah made soothing shushing sounds and wrapped an arm around her. "I should've just drowned…"

Tears came to the thirteenth prince's eyes, and he hugged her tighter. "Come on," he said, "Don't say that."

But it was true. If she had not come to Goryeo, she would never have met So, never have hurt him – she would have never met Wook, any maybe he would not have died. Myung Hee would have died without thinking her husband didn't love her. If she had not come, she would never have been taken into the palace, and Court Lady Oh would never have died for her sake. Maybe, Wang Moo would not have died the way he did – because whoever was poisoning him was betting on her being the one to ready his baths.

Who knows, how many lives would be risked and people hurt as she continued to exist here?

But Baek Ah held her and shushed her, patting her back, and Soo realized that if she had never come to Goryeo, she never would have had her best friends. And maybe it was selfish, but she wanted to exist here just a little longer if there were people who cared about her.

"Come on, Soo," he said. "I'm not going anywhere. Jung isn't either. You won't be alone, I promise."

She drew back, wiping her face on her sleeve and smiling shakily. "Sorry… I- I'll be fine."

Baek Ah set her cup upright and poured her another drink. "You better be," he said. "Oh-kei?"

She smiled again. "Okay."

"Good girl," he said with satisfaction. "Drink up. Once we finish this bottle, we're gonna sing."

"Sing? Sing what?"

"We'll make it up as we go along," he said, waving his arm vaguely, taking a deep drink. "Entirely out of clichés. 'Summer in her hair and ta-da-ta-da, something, something – come back to me,' type'a thing."

Unwittingly, Soo giggled.

But Baek Ah was wrong. Jung _did_ leave, two months afterwards, having been sent to fight in Khitan. Soo heard that Queen Yoo was opposed to it, and that Jung had begged to stay, but Yo commanded him to go, and go he did. On the night before his departure, he met her in the library, putting an entire armful of snacks and sweets on the table.

He tentatively reached out, patting her arm. "I don't know when I'll be back – but I promise you that I _will_ be." He looked down, squaring his jaw, and then looking back up at her. "Promise me you'll eat well and sleep well, Soo. Don't have nightmares, and don't miss me too much," he added with a momentary grin. "Alright?"

"Alright," Soo said.

"I don't know if you know this, but Baek Ah has an aunt in Sariwon on the way to Seokyeong. He told me to tell you that he can… Y'know. Follow our fourth brother around sometimes and give you messages from him," Jung said. "If you want." He tried to smile at her again.

"Thank you," Soo said. "And… Tell him thank you, too. I think I might… Take him up on that."

They had tried to shift the mood into a lighter state, chatting and eating. When Soo smiled at something Jung said, the fourteenth prince grinned back at her. "There we go!" he said. "See? Baek Ah's wrong. It's not poems and artistic sensibilities, it's food that's the key to a woman's heart." He gave her yakgwa. "Eat up. The more you eat, the better we'll get along."

"Really?" Soo asked. "Because at some point, I'll be so large that you'll have to roll me around for me to get anywhere."

Jung shrugged. "I'll eat just as much as you, and then we'll both roll around together."

On the morning of his departure, Soo watched from the top of the wall as he swung into the saddle of his horse, the soldiers he was taking with him doing he same. She waved and he waved back with both arms. She couldn't see his face, but she knew he was trying to grin happily for her. He rode out of the gates with his company, turning around in the saddle twice to wave at her again and again.

Soo watched them go until they disappeared completely. She refused to cry again, but she couldn't suppress two tears rolling down her face; one for the man she loved, and one the almost-man that had called her 'sister'.

She looked away, seeing another procession on the wall-top, the king with his entourage. He gave her a single flat look, and she sank into a bow. When he passed her, she could again smell mint and lavender.


	7. Chapter 7

In the autumn sunset, Songak Mountain seemed as if it was on fire, the molten gold of the setting sun brightening the dark red and yellows of the leaves. The wind was colder now, and the rain more frequent – at times the mists not rising from the land for days on end.

When the Yoo king and the Hwangbo princess were to be wed, the palace was filled with guests, nobles from all around Goryeo. Some were afraid, knowing that the power of the royal in-laws' houses were being minimized – and quickly. Others decided to bend under the king's boot and make it easier on themselves by ingratiating themselves to the throne. As she looked down at the palanquins and processions arriving, Soo faintly heard two servants hauling rolls of curtain fabric refer to the affair as a 'political clusterfuck'. And really, it was.

The Pyeongsan House Yoo had never been rich, unlike their Chungju cousins, but where the wedding guests lacked in lavish gifts and rich robes – they made up for it in flattery and praise calling Yo a strong and wise king, and telling Yeon Hwa that she looked radiant. They brought several servants and retainers, riding on well-maintained horses. House Yoo of Pyeongsan was the ninth prince's house, and he acted as their representative.

Ryu Deok Young and old Ryu Cheon Gung arrived wearing what looked like half of their ancestral riches, bringing with them a massive surplus of servants to show off their power. 'House Ryu,' they said with their displays of wealth, 'Will not make a good enemy. If you make us your friend, however, you will not regret it.' House Ryu was old, since the beginning of the three kingdoms – they had been the money of Goguryeo, elites of the kingdom, always on the defensive, but ready to back _true_ power. Soo watched them curiously, wondering exactly how heavy one of those palanquins must be.

On the week before the wedding ceremony, it seemed as if the entirety of House Kim and all of its' relatives arrived at once – both the Dongju and Gyeongju Kims. They rode in armed, in their armor, on their best horses, claiming that they were beset by bandits on the way – but obviously showing off that they would fight back if provoked. Their animosity towards the throne of Goryeo had always been pronounced – after all, they used to be royals themselves; of overthrown Silla. Kim Eok Ryeom had been on the offensive, speaking for the entire group – that they refused to stay in the palace as guests. Baek Ah urged his clansmen not to be like this, but they ignored him, dismissing him because he was one of the Goryeo Wang. It would have bordered on true ungraciousness and defiance of the king's power, if they had not mentioned at the last moment that ill old Dowager Kim could not stand places with too many people. But they had gone too far.

Yo had refused House Kim – saying, 'She can stay wherever she wants, but if you refuse my hospitality, you may find yourself refusing much, much more than you can handle.' Ever prudent and honorable, Kim Haeng Pa and Baek Ah had both apologized to the king, and then convinced Eok Ryeom to not go any further. Grudgingly, they had accepted Yo's hospitality.

The nobles of House Park were much more reserved in their displays – showing that they would go wherever it was easier for them, remaining neutral until the last possible moment. General Park himself and Soon Deok with the tenth prince arrived with a group of people from Pyeongsan, and House Ham from Yanggeun – old Wang Gyu sitting sleepily in a palanquin as he was carried through the gates.

But it was not the sour-faced Jincheon head of House Lim, nor the diminutive Oh Da Ryeon (supporters of King Hyejong) that were the most dangerous. That was Park Sul Hui, who had petitioned for Wang Moo to be king before Goryeo was even fully established. After Wang Moo's death and Wang Yo's ascension, he was rumored to have begin supporting the Hwangbo – standing behind Wook as the next king, after Moo began to fall apart.

However, he had two worthy adversaries. Wang Shik Ryeom had arrived from Seokyeong with all of his best guards and an entire carriageful of wedding gifts for his nephew, and Queen Yoo had joined him, leaving her temple and returning to the palace with triumph in her eyes, and pride in her posture.

Soo had heard all this from Baek Ah. They had tea, and he spoke to her of rumors of intrigue and sedition – and then sadly told her that So was busy and hadn't sent any word. Soo accepted this news with a nod and downcast eyes. 'Of course he wouldn't. He still can't forgive me…' She gave Baek Ah another letter that she wanted sent to the fourth prince and thanked him for everything he'd done. And then she shut herself up in the library and read until her eyes hurt, and it was time for her to have dinner and retire to her quarters.

'I will keep waiting,' she said, whether to remind herself, or to somehow telepathically tell So that she would still be there for him when he came back, that she was lonely and almost alone, but that she still believed in him and still loved him.

The king barely saw her, she passed him in the corridors maybe twice a week and bowed. He glanced down at her, but no words were passed between them. Occasionally, a note was left in her quarters, written in sharp, neat calligraphy, telling her things like, 'There is a new set of robes being made for you – wear them, they'll look good on you,' or 'According to the list you made, books were ordered – aren't I a good husband?' and 'I see So still isn't writing to you – just give up already.' Each one would be read by Soo, then folded and put in a drawer of her desk, slowly filling with paper.

It was five days before the wedding when she was summoned to the king's quarters to have dinner. Outside, the weather was frightful, strong winds buffeting the palace, occasionally whipping the walls with rain. With trepidation, Soo readied herself. Every time she saw the king, in her mind, she saw him drawing the bow and levelling his aim at Wook. Why on earth did he want to see her? Had she done something wrong?

Wile he was eating, Yo barely glanced at her as she picked at her rice and meat. But soon enough he was done, and he looked up at her – evaluating. "You're a dead woman walking, Hae Soo," he said.

'Is that a threat, or is that just how he talks to people?' the thought flew through her head in a moment, but she bowed her head. "Please excuse my ignorance, Your Majesty, but I'm afraid I don't understand."

"You sleep, you eat, you read. You have tea and gossip with Baek Ah. You wait every single day for any sort of sign from the Wolf-dog, and when you receive none, you fall deeper and deeper into this half-dead stupor," Yo said flatly. "Was it Wook's death, also, that affected you so?" When she did not answer, biting her lips, he smirked. "Is it _me_ that you're afraid of?" She still could find no words, and he took a sip of tea, shrugging. "No matter."

Finally, forcing words from her dry throat and staring at the hands twisting in her lap, Soo said, "Your Majesty is most kind to worry about me."

Yo snorted. " _Worry_ ," he said, as if the word itself was abhorrent to him. "Is that what pretty word you will come up with, little wife?" He shook his head.

She remained silent, eyes cast down, expression forcedly neutral. Wook's wide eyes and cowering shoulders flickering in front of her eyes.

He eyed her appraisingly, then suddenly burst into laughter. "You are afraid of me," he said, shaking his head. "Of what I am capable of."

Again, she said nothing.

"'Oh, how I hate him. He is a murderer, he is a monster, he shot his own brother,' things like that," he said conversationally. "Right?" He stood, walking up to her. "Look at me."

She did, slowly raising her head and meeting his dark eyes.

He looked back down at her with a neutral expression, one hand resting on the edge of the table. "The palace is full of monsters, Hae Soo. We have a Wolf-dog, poisonous snakes, scurrying rats… We eat each other alive and spit out the bones. It is a veritable menagerie." He snorted, shaking his head. "The eighth prince was not so blameless as you think, little wife."

'Maybe so, but… Did he deserve to die?' Soo still said nothing, looking up at him.

Yo rolled his eyes. "You think I'm trying to convince you? Maybe that I'm suffering an attack of conscience and I'm trying to convince _myself_?" He laughed again, then stopped abruptly. " _Fool_." The king's eyes narrowed and he leaned in, bracing himself against the arm of her chair. "I just want to see the look on your face, dear wife, when I tell you exactly what your beloved eighth prince was going to do."

Soo was still, eyes wide, transfixed as he smirked.

"So, if you did not want Wook to die, would you rather it had been Eun?"

"W-what?" she didn't realize she had spoken out loud until his smirk widened.

"Oh… Of _course_ you didn't know." His tone was almost comforting as he shook his head. "Your _dearest_ eighth prince was going to use Wang Gyu and the tenth prince's entire house to strengthen my rise. The pathetic old Wang Gyu and the _child_ that is my tenth brother. To make a bloody example of them, to say they were plotting against me. Fortunately for them – or unfortunately for Wook, really – their deaths would have brought me no benefit."

Soo's lips parted with a gasp of surprise. In her mind's eye, Wook's frightened face darkened until he looked pensive – just as on the day of the coup as king Taejo lay dying… 'How _could_ he?' Suddenly, she remembered Jung's words on that night she had found Wook in the Damiwon… _"So thinks that Wook was plotting, and he said that he planned on scapegoating Eun in his place, even having secret meetings with the king. But he wouldn't do something like that!"_

"Do you know why Eun and General Park's daughter stayed in Songak for so long after our wedding?" Yo asked conversationally.

"Bandits," Soo said, her voice still shaking.

" _Precisely_." Yo grinned. "And I wonder, wife, just _who_ was it that payed them off to block the roads for so long without fearing arrest? It's odd, isn't it? While he was trying to convince me that House Ham posed a threat to me, wasn't it so beautifully _convenient_ that Eun and his little wife were trapped in the capital?"

'N-no, it can't be…' But she had no trouble believing it. After all, Yo had no reason to lie. He felt no remorse, that much was clear.

Yo continued, looking almost sad – the illusion ruined by the slight twitch of his lips upward into another smirk. His voice was low. " _Imagine_ , Hae Soo. Eun and his little wife cornered in the palace gardens. A guard cuts down the girl. I draw my bow…" he paused, "The boy falls. I shoot again. So is forced to perform a mercy-killing on the unfortunate child." He sighed, shaking his head. "Wouldn't that be much, much crueler?"

"H-how…?" she whispered, tears coming to her eyes. "Why did he…?"

The king smirked, drawing back. "Oh, _yes_ ," he said, sitting back down. "Isn't it much better this way, little wife?" He spread his arms. "Aren't you _glad_?"

Her voice died in her throat as she stared at the king, trying to suppress more tears.

" _Answer_ me," he said, his voice turning hard. " _Are you not glad_?"

She licked her lips, forcing her voice to remain even, but failing. "I-I… I would have been glad if no-one had to die…"

"How naïve," he spat, then shrugged, face turning neutrally amused. "Still, typical, I suppose." Yo shook his head. "You don't want to say it, do you? It makes you feel as if you're giving up on your pretty ideals. You don't want to believe it." He grinned again. "You _are_ glad that it was Wook instead of Eun."

Soo could say nothing to that, mind drawing a blank. She refused to cry, but somehow, her eyes refused to listen, and tears build up until they spilled over in two clear lines over her cheeks.

In a bored tone, Yo carried on. "You want to know 'how' and 'why'? Wook gained the support of the Songak elites, and was going to try and take the throne for himself." He leaned over and reached across the table, putting a hand under her chin and making her look at him. "Now tell me, lady wife, what do you think of all this?" he asked in a deceptively gentle tone.

"I-I…" she trailed off, cursing herself for showing her fear, "It's sad," she whispered.

He looked at her oddly and released her chin, sitting back. "I suppose it is," he said. "Do you want to go back to the days before you entered the palace?"

She nodded, unable to do anything else.

So quietly, that at first Soo thought she had imagined it, the king said, "As do I, sometimes."

/

The next evening, Soo was told that she would be receiving the king in her own quarters for dinner. When he arrived, she bowed, and they ate in silence. He held out his cup to her, when he was done eating, and she poured him tea. "Mother wonders at me," he said, taking a sip, looking at her over the rim of his teacup. "She finds it odd that I would marry a mere court lady."

"Your Majesty did this humble lady of the court a great honor," Soo said, bowing slightly from her seated position.

Yo laughed. "I see you do have a sense of humor," he said, shaking his head. "But… I tell you this now – around the Queen Mother, you would do best to act as if you are nothing but a pretty face."

Soo looked up at him oddly, then bowed her head.

Again, Yo laughed, shaking his head, then taking a sip of his tea. "Do you know what she said, little wife? She said, 'She must be an exceptional girl to catch your eye, my son.'" He snorted. "Have you caught my eye, then, Hae Soo?"

"I couldn't say, Your Majesty," Soo said flatly, looking down. 'Where is he going with this?'

"I suppose you have," Yo said, smirking into his teacup. "After all, where else could I find so convenient a hostage?"

'I see. This serves as a reminder of my position.' Soo remained silent.

"…Or so taciturn a dinner companion," he added dryly. "Am I really so frightening, Hae Soo?"

"If I answer 'no'," Soo said quietly, "It would be an insult, Your Majesty – and if I answer 'yes', it would show weakness on my part."

Yo laughed, and it seemed genuine. "You see right through me, little wife. I enjoy your little honesties, so politely delivered and so true to heart…" he looked sideways at her. "You are wasted on this. Politics would suit you well."

She was more wary of him than she ever had been. Since he had killed Wook, since he had given her the 'warning shot', since he had told her about the eighth prince's plans… Soo was wary of his unpredictability and the pleasure he took in being cruel, in throwing her off-balance. The few times when they had spoken before Wook's death, Soo had begun to relax very, very slightly. But now that she received yet another reminder of Yo's ruthlessness – like a turtle, she retreated back into a hard, protective shell of politeness and cold.

Was she afraid of him? She didn't know. Maybe she was, after all, she would have to be a fool not to. But being afraid would not help her, and so she wondered if she really ever was, seeing the king in front of her – the _man_ on front of her as a human being just like anyone else – but with… Major issues. Although, really, she doubted that the word 'issues', or even ' _major_ issues' could even begin to encompass Wang Yo.

/

Three days before the wedding, they had tea in the gardens during the afternoon.

"…What do you think of Yeon Hwa?" he asked curiously as a court lady poured him tea.

"Princess Yeon Hwa… Her Highness is-" Soo could think of nothing to say. "I am not well acquainted with her."

"She whipped you, years ago," Yo pointed out.

Soo winced, despite herself.

"I see you remember," he said with amusement. "Then, are you jealous?" He raised his cup to his lips.

She stared at him, then caught herself and looked down.

He snorted, then laughed, setting his cup down. Looking at her, face full of amusement, Yo shook his head. "A simple 'no' would have sufficed," he said. "A horrified stare, while amusing, and effectively answering my question – is mildly discouraging."

"Your Majesty is amused?" she asked, trying to keep a smile from her own face, and bowing her head.

"You had better keep me that way," Yo said dryly, "Or who knows what sharp things I will point at you."

'That sums up our interactions in one sentence,' Soo thought tiredly.

"We should eat meals together more often," Yo said, shaking his head – seeming to be smiling – genuinely, almost like a normal person. "Your keen wit and tongue require honing against a worthy opponent."

'Oh _great_.' "Your Majesty is most… Kind."

/

The wedding was a trumped-up, pompous event, at which everyone (especially the pretentious House Ryu) – wore every curtain, robe and golden hairpiece that they owned, or what seemed like it. Yo despised it, the niceties and the hidden poisons – the affectation and the carefully veiled threats. Yeon Hwa loved it. The attention, the power, being called 'Queen'. It would have been somewhat endearing, if all this had not been bought with her brother's death. 'But,' Yo supposed, 'If Wook himself couldn't become king, Yeon Hwa becoming a queen was the next best thing – maybe it's what he would have wanted.'

His mother finally understood. Yo had known perfectly well that she didn't appreciate being sent away to Chungju – but he had seen no other way to keep her out of things. She would never have approved of his marriage to Hae Soo from the start, but now that she saw what it had done for him, she was pleased. She would have been displeased with him for that fiasco with Wook – the eighth prince's escape… But now that he had the Hwangbo under his thumb, there really was nothing she could say about his failures – for they had resulted in great successes. Yo knew what he was doing; he had a plan – and it wasn't Queen Yoo's plan. 'Have I made you proud, Mother?'

Going against his mother's wishes… It was much harder than he thought it would be, when she stood in front of him, smiled and told him who she wanted dead. Who _was_ he to defy her?

But no. He was the king of Goryeo. He would do all he could to make her comfortable in her life as the Queen Mother, but no _more_. She had made him what he was, honed a sword that she wielded with precision – but he was a _man_ , not a sword. 'Well, Mother? Are you proud of your son?'

Yet still, even as he was thinking this, he saw himself from outside, desperately trying to win Mother's approval, like a pathetic child.

Even as he sat at the head of the table, Yeon Hwa practically glowing beside him, Yo's eyes were unseeing as he looked past the long table. Some court lady refilled his cup and he raised it to his lips, then set it down, deciding not to eat or drink here. Too many people, too many poisonous creatures wearing the guise of men and women. Was he paranoid? Maybe. But if he did not die the way his predecessors did – that would be enough for him. This was court, this was royalty, this was dangerous – intrigue at every turn, at every bow, at every sweet word. There was no-one at this entire table who meant what they said – him included, hypocrite that he was. The only difference between him and them, was that he made it _clear_ that he didn't mean what he was saying.

And the only reason he could do that was because he was king.

Somehow, his thoughts drifted to Hae Soo. She would have hated such proceedings as much as him if not more. Hae Soo… She was an oddly straightforward person with such strange principles – and really, it seemed that she couldn't lie to save her life. But she had a sharp tongue and an even sharper wit that she hid under layers of dignified, polite coldness. She was so very different from Yeon Hwa, it was astounding. He didn't understand Hae Soo at all, and he understood Yeon Hwa too well.

Ryu Cheon Gung was smiling in a way Yo didn't like, and the king watched as the nobleman stood and raised his cup. "May I propose a toast?"

Yo raised his eyebrow. "You may," he said shortly.

Cheon Gung smiled, bowing. "Then, to the king and his beautiful bride – for a future that lasts as long as Your Majesty's prosperity!"

Yo rolled his eyes. Ryu Cheon Gung twitched. Yo smirked. Ryu Cheon Gung swallowed. "That's a very nice sentiment, Lord Ryu," Yo drawled, raising his cup. "I think I'll add something to that." His smirk widened. "May my prosperity be long enough that our future together is not cut short."

The nobleman paled. "Y-yes, of course," he said. "I-I didn't mean-"

Turning to Yeon Hwa, who also began to smirk Yo asked, "Do you like that, Yeon Hwa?"

His queen smiled up at him, poison in her eyes, her red lips curving beautifully. "I like that very much, Your Majesty."

"Then let us drink to that," Yo said, his voice carrying down the table. "To me and my beautiful bride – and to my long prosperity. Woe be to all those who think to cut it short." 'Maybe that last part was a little much, but I have to get the point across _somehow_.' He pretended to take a sip, and then laughed, the rest of the table joining in. Cheon Gung sat quickly down, saying nothing for the remainder of the 'party'.

Beside him, Yeon Hwa laughed quietly. "Cheers," she said in a sing-song voice.

An accidental smile rose to his lips. "Don't enjoy yourself too much, Yeon Hwa," he said. His eyes roamed across the faces of the people sitting at the table until they settled on a single man in modestly decorated silken robes and an immaculately trimmed white beard, sitting between General Park Soo Kyung and a drunkenly cheerful Eun being fed things by his little bear-wife. "Park Sul Hui," Yo said under his breath, his eyes sharp, "What will you do now? It's your move."

As if hearing him, Park Sul Hui looked up and made eye contact, then smiled slowly and bowed his head. He raised his cup and drank- Beside him, Eun was gesturing and nudged his elbow- The contents of his cup landed in his lap.

Yo couldn't suppress a snort, and Park Sul Hui almost glared at him, averting his eyes at the last moment. Eun looked surprised, then began to apologize, as his wife- 'Ah, Park Soon Deok, was it?' -looked mildly horrified, apologizing as well. The nobleman smiled, waving his hand at them, as if it was perfectly alright.

Yeon Hwa had also been looking, and she glanced up at Yo. In a low voice with such a practiced innocent undertone, she said, "What do you mean about Lord Park Sul Hui, Your Majesty?"

"You don't know?" Yo asked, smirking. "I'm surprised, Yeon Hwa. Not to know the man who wanted to put your brother on my throne after Moo failed to keep it… You really must have been out of the loop."

She hid behind her cup, but he could see the whiteness of her cheeks and hands. She said nothing, and it was wise of her.

Later, as he entered the room in which she sat proudly on the red-curtained marriage bed – he told her that he didn't trust her at all – and the moment that he suspected her of plotting against him, he would have no qualms about killing her. "You wanted a man that could cherish you. You wanted someone who would enlarge your power. I will not allow anyone in Goryeo to be more powerful than I, and I will employ any means necessary to ensure that."

She twisted the ring on her finger. "I am a queen of Goryeo," she said, looking up into his eyes with no fear.

In that moment, he admired her greatly – and remembered why he had asked her to marry him the first time. "You are," he said. "But I am your king."

Hwangbo Yeon Hwa bowed to him, her hair falling to obscure her face as she did so, but he could see a single tear drop from her eye onto the sheets. A tear of happiness at becoming queen? Of her sadness at the cost of her brother's life? At her own powerlessness in a position of great power? He did not know. When she came out of her bow, she was smiling. "Yes, Your Majesty," she said sweetly, and pulled at the ties at the front of her robes, the silk falling from her smooth shoulders. She reached for him, and he did likewise.

/

It was a week after his wedding to Yeon Hwa that Yo saw Soo next. On a whim, he passed by the gardens, then by the lake – and he saw her there, standing by the lake's edge, her hands folded in front of herself and her eyes fixed straight ahead. A single orange leaf fluttered down by her, and she held out her palm. The leaf landed there, and- 'Is she crying?' A single tear rolled down her cheek as she watched the small leaf settle. She whispered something – he could see her lips moving, but he couldn't tell what she said.

He stepped forward, making an impatient gesture at the servants attending him, and they hung back. As he approached her, a sudden wind rose, the leaf fluttering from Soo's palm. She did not hear him approach until he was right behind her saying the first thing that came to mind; "So can't hear you, you know."

Soo whirled around, then bowed low. "Hae Soo greets the king," she said.

"You may pine and pine, and he will not come back until I call him back. Your time would be better spent otherwise." He was frustrated. This woman was so odd, and he didn't understand her at all.

She bowed again, dark lashes casting shadows on her cheeks. Hae Soo stayed silent, as always when he said something she didn't like and didn't know how to respond.

"Why are you like this?"

"Because I still haven't lost faith in everything."

It took him a while to realize she had spoken as he stared at her. "You haven't _what_?" he asked incredulously.

"I can still believe," she said simply.

"You're a fool, then," he snapped. "You've been betrayed more times than even I – and you will keep _being_ betrayed." For some strange reason, she made him so angry when she said things like that.

Her eyes were soft and sad, large and soulful as they met his. Her look was guileless as she shook her head. "If I didn't believe in anything, Your Majesty," she said gently, "There would be no point in living for me."

Yo laughed mirthlessly. "I believe in three things. Power, strength, and the ability to survive. You would be wise to do the same."

Soo inclined her head. "You must live a very sad life, Your Majesty," she said softly. Then, just _saying_ a thing like that – she bowed and left, leaving him standing there. 'Who does she think she is?! The absolute-' He took a deep breath in. 'I keep letting her get to me. She's just lying to herself to make the pain go away. The poor, foolish woman.' He shook his head. 'So _really_ knew how to pick them, didn't he…'


	8. Chapter 8

**YEAR: 946**

Yesterday, the first snow had fallen, muffling all sounds from outside, the setting sun casting a fiery hue over the frosted palace. Soo had watched it from her room, remembering a similar night several years ago, watching the snow fall with someone who would become a good friend and eventually, even more than that. It was not good for her, thinking so wistfully all the time, falling into an ennui of lonely depression. Wang So had become so important to her she had forgotten what it was like without him. Now, she stood on the wall-top wrapped in furs, watching and hoping for a group of men on horses to come over the horizon – but knowing that it was impossible.

Her fingers wandered over the snow-covered lip of the wall, melting powdery snow with her touch, odd patterns emerging. There was no wind and in the unnatural stillness, muffled by the thick sheet of snow over the palace, she made out the crunch of booted footsteps over snow behind her.

"You seem intent on freezing yourself to death this evening," Yo drawled, looking down at her. "I'm sure that your frozen corpse standing on the wall-tops will be a warning to all those seeking entrance to the palace, but I still have use for you."

Soo bowed. "Morbid, Your Majesty," she said mildly.

"As reticent as usual, Hae Soo," he replied dryly. "He won't come, you know. Not until I call him." Was he mocking her? Reminding her?

She said nothing to that, only dipping her head.

Yo looked mildly amused as he raised an eyebrow, gazing over the horizon that Soo had been looking at. "As amusing as it is to watch you foolishly cling to your role of nobly suffering damsel-in-distress, there will come a time when you will have to admit that you are lying to yourself. He won't come for you," he said, shaking his head. "You are a queen of Goryeo, and yet all you do is sigh." He shook his head. "I do not understand you at all, little wife." He snorted. "No matter. …When you feel that your blood is freezing in your veins, that's a sign you have been outside for too long."

Soo looked over at him. "Your Majesty does not enjoy snow?"

Looking at her as if she had grown a second head, Yo let out a dry laugh that steamed and dissipated. "It's _cold_ ," he said, his tone dropping in a way that implied he was stating the obvious. "Of _course_ not."

"But… As a child, your Majesty did not play in the snow?" Soo asked, not thinking, only surprised, scooping up a handful from the lip of the wall and forming it into a ball.

That was the wrong thing to say. Yo's expression hardened. "No. A prince does not lower himself in pursuit of such debasing, childish activities," he spat. "It was beneath me." Somehow, it sounded as if he was reciting something, as if it was something someone said to him once.

Soo had a nagging thought that she knew who it was. With a mother like Queen Yoo, it was painfully obvious. She bowed. "I apologize, Your Majesty," she said softly, taking another, smaller handful of snow and making it into a smaller ball. "I did not know."

He said nothing.

The small ball in her hands was cold. With one finger she poked in eyes, taking a pinch of smoke and making it into a little nose. She set the little head on top of the larger ball and looked at the little snow sculpture critically.

Behind her, Yo shifted. "…It doesn't have arms," he said, a note of grudgingness in his voice.

She turned, smiling slightly, brushing the snow away with her foot and among the pebbles picking up a small twig that must have been blown onto the wall-tops. She snapped it in half, sticking the little arms into the sides of the tiny snow-person. 'On second thought…' She picked up two more pebbles, putting them into the depressions she'd made for the snow-sculpture's eyes.

"Childish," commented Yo. Then, "What about a mouth?"

With her little finger, she poked in a small, round, surprised mouth. "Like that?" she asked turning to him with an involuntary smile. The sun had already set and clouds in the sky were dropping more snow, white flakes landing in her hair, the temperature dropping even further. The cold brought red to her pale cheeks, little hairs coming undone from her queen's updo. Her hands were wet with snow and really, really cold. She tucked them into her sleeves.

"It looks like someone told it that it is going to melt soon."

"Huh… Aw, poor guy," Soo said. "What does Your Majesty think?"

Yo looked down at her with a sort of odd observing gaze, one that searched her for something he did not seem to find. "…Acceptable," he said, one corner of his mouth quirking up.

"High praise from Your Majesty," Soo said, bowing slightly. "My thanks."

There was a momentary silence, then he raised an eyebrow at her, brushing snowflakes out of his beard. "Now that you have succeeded in freezing me as well, little wife, I think it high time for dinner _in_ side, where the temperature is not so barbaric."

She relented. "Yes, Your Majesty."

/

In the spring, Soo took her morning meal on the wall-top, Chae Ryung pouring her tea. A warm breeze blew, carrying with it the small of plum blossoms from the palace gardens. Across from her, at the table, Baek Ah took a sip of tea. "…The building at Seokyeong is slow, but steady," he said carefully.

"Does he ask about me?" Soo asked quietly.

Baek Ah paused, looking down and slowly setting his cup down. "Ah…-" He cut himself off. "Well… Not as _such_ … I told him you were well, waiting for any sign from him. He… Said nothing."

Soo let out a slow breath, closing her eyes, heart hurting.

"I'm sorry…" Baek Ah said. "I so hate being the carrier of bad news and seeing your sad face like this." He shook his head. "He took all of your letters, but I know not if he read them. I, ah, well-"

"No," Soo said softly. "It's okay. You don't have to be sorry. As long as he is well, it does not matter. Thank you for doing this for me, Baek Ah."

"Don't worry about it, Soo," Baek Ah said, waving his hand and taking another sip of tea. "Woo Hee has inquired after your health. She worries for you."

Taking a sip of tea, Soo shrugged. "I am, as always, well. How is she?"

"Well, also," Baek Ah said with a grin.

Soo smiled. "Did she receive my gift?"

Baek Ah grinned. "The set of hair ornaments? She wears them often."

"Oh, good!" Soo said, smiling.

Tentatively, Baek Ah looked at Soo, sideways, as if the whole of his gaze would injure her somehow. "…And what of His Majesty?" he asked carefully.

"What of him?" Soo asked.

"There have been… Rumors," Baek Ah said hesitantly, then winced. "Well, not rumors as such – but more whispers, whispers that one could hear if at the right places and listening carefully enough. It is said that while he is an iron hand that rules Goryeo during the day, at night he suffers from attacks of madness."

Soo looked at him sternly. "Baek Ah, if you talk like that, someone might take it the wrong way."

"They are but rumors," Baek Ah said, raising his hands as if in surrender. He leaned over the table and said in a low voice; "It is also said that you are his favorite wife, so I learn to take them with a grain of salt."

Raising her eyebrows, Soo shook her head. "The stuff people come up with!" she exclaimed. "He makes me eat dinner with him so he can, ah, verbally flay me."

Baek Ah snorted. "Well, look on the bright side, Soo."

"There's a bright side?" wondered Soo, raising her eyebrows.

Raising a finger and looking her seriously in the eyes, Baek Ah said, "At least he's only _verbally_ flaying you."

He laughed at Soo's rapidly souring expression. "Oh, you really know how to give a girl a positive outlook on life…"

/

 _The spring storms had come for the first time on that night, heavy clouds darkening the already pitch-black night sky – and the rain fell in a thick curtain. The soothing sound of rain on roof tiles helped Yo fall asleep, cool under silken bedsheets, hair undone for the night so that he would not wake with a headache, as Soo, that strange woman, had once told him._

 _Wang Yo dreamed of his throne_ , shining gold, and his mother sitting upon it, looking down at him, kneeling in front of her. He was a child in the dream, rich golden rings too big on small fingers, hands in his lap. To his left, kneeled a small So and Jung – his two younger brothers both seeming the same child-age as him, and to his right, his long-dead brother Tae, his narrow, pale face holding a blue tinge as on the day he died, dark eyes empty and staring.

On the golden throne, his mother's red lips curved into a smile, and she called for him, her voice sweet and gentle. She _chose_ him _._ "Come, Yo, my son," she said, her voice echoing, "Sit up here with me."

Yo's heart swelled with pride and happiness and he rose, now an adult, taking a step forward. An older Jung grinned at him, and So did not look up, even once, his scar bleeding red on his sharp face. One more step forward, and he would reach the steps. Above, his mother continued to smile, waiting for him to ascend to his rightful place.

But he could not move.

Looking down with frustration, he saw Tae's icy cold hand gripping his ankle, tightening his grip. "No, brother," he hissed, "Do you not see?" His face was drawn and gaunt, eye sockets empty and black, bloodless lips stretched across skeletally protruding teeth. His hissing voice did not move his mouth in the slightest, echoes twisting around Yo. "It is false. The gold is false."

Filled with horror, Yo stared at his brother, then looked up at his mother who held her arms out expectantly. He saw her nod, and he kicked at Tae's hand with all his strength, crying out. His older brother fell back, and it was Moo instead of Tae, laying spread-eagled on the floor, lips blue, his face bloated with drowning, eyes staring emptily up at the ceiling. Yo cried out again, scrambling back, his palm hitting one of the steps.

He turned and began to run up the steps, reaching for the pedestal upon which his mother waited for him on his throne. It seemed so oddly out of reach, and he quickened his pace, finally falling at her feet, panting.

She held a hand out to him, helping him stand, then sitting him on his throne. He was so tired he could not move, and frozen, he watched as she arranged him on the throne, putting his hands in his lap, putting the headdress of a king onto his head, tilting his chin up, cold fingers pulling the corners of his mouth into a grin, putting a sword in one of his hands. The sword dripped blood onto his robes, and he wanted to tell her, but he could not even speak, only able to move his eyes.

His mother stood behind the throne, her hands on his shoulders.

The drip, drip, drip of the bloody sword staining his clothes was much too loud. So loud.

He could hear someone's voice faintly, and when he looked out over the throne room, he realized that So had taken the bloody sword from him.

His fourth brother stood in the middle of the floor, standing over a terrified Wook. Wook looked up at Yo with wide eyes. "Brother! Will you let this happen? _Please_ I-"

Yo could say nothing, and behind him, his mother spoke in a cold, clear voice. "Do as your king commands, Wolf-dog. Kill the traitor." He wanted to turn around to tell her to wait, but So with his blank eyes and tightly squared jaw swung his sword back and struck.

Blood splattered everywhere; onto So, it seeming as if his face had been cut open again – onto Yo, staining his golden robes red – onto a wide-eyed Jung, held back by faceless guards.

But the body on the floor of the throne room was not Wook.

It was Tae, his empty black eyes fixed onto Yo.

 _The first roll of thunder echoed through his dreams and woke him. He sat up suddenly, with a harsh cry, panting and covered in cold sweat. Again, afterimages flashing on the insides of his eyelids, he saw his brothers in his dreams. "Go away," he whispered. "You're already dead. Leave me alone…"_

 _The second roll of thunder startled him, and cried out in surprise, jerking back against the backboard of the bed, tangled in blankets, his eyes wild. With a shaking hand, he reached down between the bed and the wall, pulling out a dagger he'd hidden there; holding it before himself, the lightning reflecting off the blade and dancing madly over the walls._

 _There was a soft tap at his door and he let out a sound that was half gasp and half yell. In the flash of lightning that came, he saw the silhouette of his mother against his wall. Her wig was large, her robes rustled- The dripping of rain from the outside became the sound of dripping blood. The roll of thunder that followed crashed through his bones, weakening him as he dropped the dagger and fell to the floor, still tangled in blankets and sheets._

 _His mother's silhouette continued to approach and he scrambled back, unable to form words, only a terrified gasping sound that ripped painfully from him. When she reached him, she would sit him on the false gold throne-_

 _But the soft voice that followed – it did not belong to his mother at all. "Your Majesty? Are you alright?" Illuminated by a brief flash of lighting, she bent over him, lips slightly parted in surprise, the pale, heart-shaped face drawn with concern – dark, liquid eyes large and deep enough to swallow him whole. She glanced down and picked up the dagger laying by her, eyeing it with confusion._

 _In the next roll of thunder, he refused to cower, yet convulsions took him over, shivers that wracked his whole body. His wide eyes met hers and he choked on his breath. 'Why is she here? Am I still dreaming? Will she kill me? She has watched two kings die before her eyes already – what is a third?' He could say nothing, staring at her, and when he finally found his voice, it was hoarse with fear, sounding as if he had not spoken for years. "Quickly," he choked out. "Do it quickly."_

 _"W-what? Your Majesty, a-are you okay?" There was_ concern _in her voice, and she put the dagger on the nearby table and bent over him. A warm hand touched his forehead. "Oh, you're burning up…" she said, letting out a shaky breath, then quickly jerked her hand back, realizing what she had just done. Did she think he actually_ cared _at this point? "I'll get the royal physician-" she began to say, but he grabbed her wrist to keep her from getting up._

 _Forcing the words out through his teeth, he met her wide eyes. "Tell_ no-one _of this, if you do not wish to die, woman," he growled, but- A flash, the thunder boomed again, the deep sound echoing through his very bones, setting his teeth chattering._

 _Soo, with her wide eyes showing no fear, let out a shuddering breath. "Okay. Yeah, that's fine." The foreign syllables rolled soothingly off her tongue, her tone gentle. "Just let's get you into bed, okay, Your Majesty?" It was the sort of tone that he'd heard women using with frightened children, or horse trainers whispering to their horses. She offered him a hand and with a most un-lady-like grunt, heaved him into bed._

 _He could barely move for the shaking, and she smoothed the blankets out over him, sitting on the edge of his bed. 'Go away,' he wanted to say. 'You are not supposed to see me like this. No-one is. Go_ away _.' But what came out was a dry, mirthless, hysterical, heaving laugh. "Well, Hae Soo?" he asked, his voice not losing its hoarseness, "What is it like, attending to another mad king? Perhaps it is the false gold of the throne that drives us mad…" he mused. A flash of lighting threw the room into sharp boomed and he shuddered again, his eyes going wide. For a moment, it seemed as if the shadows on the walls were hands reaching for him,_ Tae's hands, gripping his ankle in their cold hold-

 _His breath came out fast and hard, and he couldn't get enough air into his lungs, holding his shaking hands up to feebly protect himself. "You're already_ dead _," he whispered. "Go away!"_

 _"There's nobody there, Your Majesty," Soo said gently._

 _He was mad with terror, grabbing her forearms as if it would anchor him to the world. "The dead will not leave me…" he whispered, looking into her eyes. "I see them, Tae, Moo, Wook-" A flash of lighting and a roll of thunder and he shuddered, falling back, his hold on her arms weakening. "It is not remorse…" he said with the sigh of breath and strength leaving him. "I regret nothing…"_

 _Her hand was warm as she folded the blanket over his chest. "What is it?" she asked quietly, no mockery in her voice, only the desire to understand._

 _"You… I am not so easily softened as the Wolf-dog…" he breathed. "Goryeo is too harsh for your gentle wishes, Hae Soo…"_

 _Her eyes were bright, shining in the dark. "Just close your eyes, okay?"_

 _It was easier to obey than to fight. He shut his eyes. With every boom of thunder, he shuddered, every flash of lighting turning the darkness red through his eyelids. He fell asleep from sheer exhaustion in the small hours of the morning, when the booms of thunder sounded from a long distance and there was no more lightning, just heavy rain sounding like it was trying to destroy the roof and come tumbling like a waterfall to drown him._

 _Soo had never gotten up from where she sat on the edge of his bed._

 _In the morning, when the sun streaming across his face forced him to open his eyes, he saw her, sleeping sitting up, leaning against one of the bedposts, just as on her wedding night. There was sunlight in her hair and glinting off her earrings and ornaments, a pool of light warming her hands in her lap – and at a glance it seemed as if she, herself, was exuding the light. Full of exhaustion, he forced himself to sit up – and his shifting woke her. Soo woke up by degrees, first letting out a long, heavy breath, then opening her eyes, then sitting straighter. She rubbed a hand over her eyes, yawning audibly like a cat and pinching both of her cheeks._

 _They looked at each other for a while, Yo wondering what kind of threat he had to employ against her, and Soo waiting for him to say something, but as he didn't she said, "I won't tell anyone, not even the royal physician, if you don't want, Your Majesty."_

 _He raised his eyebrows. "I_ command _you not to." Sitting up straighter, he stared her down. "Do not make the mistake of thinking me weak because of what you think you understood – it will end badly for you."_

 _Soo bowed her head. "Of course, Your Majesty."_

 _He looked to the side, seeing his dagger on the table, then caught sight of himself in his mirror, and hissed with both surprise and annoyance. 'I look like Death warmed over.' His hair hung in front of his bloodshot eyes, which had deep, dark circles – and his face was deathly pale. If he went into court like this in the morning, there would be questions and doubts – and then it would all come out. Moo was the perfect example of a mad king – and mad kings were weak, soon deposed. He could not afford that._

 _Looking more closely at him, Hae Soo nodded, as if reading his mind. "Your Majesty… I think I have a suggestion."_

 _He raised his eyebrows at her again, not having the strength or composure for anything else at this point. "What?" he snapped._

 _It was odd, for her tone assumed a light quality, as if she was trying to cheer him up. She held her hands up and wiggled her fingers. "I'll work my magic!"_

 _Realization dawned over him as she poked her head out of his room and said something to the court lady outside, rattling off instructions. She made a show of holding her upper garment together with her hand as she did so, and Yo almost laughed. She was covering for him so admirably, this ridiculous, strange girl. Hae Soo was going above and beyond the call of duty again and again, for no reason other than she was that kind of person. He didn't understand her at all._

 _A few minutes later, she was handed something through the door, a wooden box – and she scurried back to him, grinning. "Okay," she said, rubbing her hands together, "Permission to, ah, make contact with Your Majesty's face?"_

 _He snorted, amused. "Granted."_

 _And she began to make him up like a woman or something. It was ridiculous, the powders and emulsions that she put on his face, even_ rouge _– but when she was finished, he was surprised at the results. He looked_ normal _and healthy, as opposed to one freshly risen from the dead – a marked improvement, if he said so himself. "How is it, Your Majesty?" she asked, pride in her voice._

 _"There are benefits, I suppose, to making a lady of the court my wife," he said offhandedly, but pleased. He did not miss her eye-roll in the mirror, and snorted again._

 _"I'm glad Your Majesty is so pleased with my work," she said sweetly._

 _There was something in the air of the king's chamber, something that was not there before. The weakness and terror that he had shown her in those thunder-filled moments in the night – those were inerasable, and for all of time, they would hang between the king and his third queen. She was nothing but a hostage a, leash around his Wolf-dog brother's throat, a too-cute girl with large, dark eyes and ridiculous ideas about believing, born as a mid-ranked noblewoman, lowered to the status of a mere court lady, then a lowly water-maid, then the Queen of the Damiwon – and his queen. Yet, now, it seemed that she had to be more than that. Someone who saw him at his weakest, and helped him to get back on his feet._

 _It was ridiculous, absurd – but it was so_ her _– and a surge of something he chose to call amusement caused his lips to quirk up in what could have been a smile. 'No, Hae Soo will not soften me, as she does the Wolf-dog, but it will be amusing to see her try, now that she thinks she can.'_

\

Hwangbo Yeon Hwa didn't like Hae Soo. If that was news to anyone, Soo would have asked them if they had been living under a rock. But what truly startled her was that Yeon Hwa was _jealous_. From what Soo understood of her fellow queen's character was that Yeon Hwa wanted power, and if she could have none, she would cling to those who had it, plotting behind their back how to take it. And perhaps it was because of Soo's perceived closeness to the king. There were whispers that Lady Hae was the king's favored wife, the one with which he spent the most time. It was funny, though – if they _really_ knew what was going on… 'Well, wouldn't _that_ be a study in shock,' Soo thought dryly.

Yeon Hwa was not stupid. She was, in fact, extremely intelligent. She knew exactly what Soo was to the king. But since it was not common knowledge, Yo 'favoring' Soo was a slight upon Yeon Hwa. Yo knew this, also, but he had his reasons.

"If I let her get too high an opinion of herself, her courage will grow – and one day we'll see her sitting astride a horse and wearing armor, amassing an army in front of my gates." He said it in jest, obviously, but Soo knew that it was an embellishment on what would actually happen if he transferred his 'favor' upon the fourth queen. Soo was the 'safe' queen, the one with barely any connection to any sort of powerful house. 'Favoring' her would do no harm nor any good – and Yo knew this. But it also seemed as if he was genuinely enjoying himself when he taunted and prodded at her with sharp words and amused smirks at her expense. 'What a guy.'

The first time she had seen him during one of the spring storms, she had not been shocked, but she had been very, very sad. This is what the throne did to people, it caused them to do horrible things, then made them go mad from what they had done – and then the mad king would fall, another taking his place. Would it continue this way forever? Would Wang So have to commit more terrible acts of violence in his life in order to become Gwangjong? She had seen him once, in a vision, seen him turn around and face her, his kingly robes as black as night. Would he grow weak, undermined and overthrown as Wang Moo had? Or, as Taejo had, would he live and rule for many long years, only to have his kingdom fall into political turmoil because of the machinations of his children? Could _anyone_ who took the throne hope for a happy ending? So far, it seemed not.

The king did not want her pity. And she gave him none. She gave him kindness and silence, for, despite what he had done, Wang Yo was only a man. It was hard to see where the 'king' ended and the 'man' began, but he was in there somewhere. She tried to imagine him in the far-away land that she had grown up in, in the modern times that seemed ever more distant with every day. He would have gotten good grades in school and have gone to university, getting a degree in something… Law, perhaps? Business? She could imagine him in a sharp, dark suit, a ballpoint pen in his hand and glasses pushed up onto his head. Maybe he would be doing his military service, posing for a photograph with the rest of the young men.

It struck her, really, how _young_ everyone was; how young sixteen-year-old Jung was, how young twenty-year-old So was, how young twenty-three-year-old Yo was, and how young _she_ was, really. Go Ha Jin had been twenty-five in the sixteen-year-old body of Hae Soo, and she had grown so, so much. In the harsh Goryeo, a person had to grow up quickly; some more than others.

Summer came and went with its scorching heat, and still no word came from Seokyeong. No, that wasn't strictly true – word _did_ come, but it was all from Baek Ah. So still said nothing, and her letters went unanswered. Baek Ah was sad when he told her this, and the way he treated her – as if she was something delicate that might break if he spoke too loudly – didn't make her feel any better.

If _anything_ , the king's callousness and deliberately mocking words, smirks behind teacups and superciliously raised eyebrows – they were more welcome than careful, halting sentences and cautious looks at her. 'I will not break!' she wanted to scream at Baek Ah. 'I'm not that weak yet!'


	9. Chapter 9

_In the gardens of the ninth prince's estate, the pavilion was large and airy, the sun coming in between the wooden columns and shining off the silken covers of the pillows among which sat Wang Won and Lord Ryu Cheon Gung; head of House Ryu. Houses Yoo and Ryu had always been the sorts to keep within amiable distance of each other. If they did not, the two rich houses would have eaten each other long ago – but the old Ryu lord knew to take advantage of alliances where he could. Old money and waning power versus new money and rising power was always an old, quiet battle, waged with insincere smiles, marriage and the shine of gold in hand._

 _Won smiled at Cheon Gung, and the older man shifted uncomfortably in his seat as a servant put a tray of tea down on a small table between them. The noble's ample stomach prevented him from being the first to take his cup, but he took the second one and took a halting sip, carefully looking at his host. Out of courtesy, the ninth prince did not let on that he knew he was being watched, continuing to smile as he took another sip of tea. "It was kind of you to come and visit, Lord Ryu," Won finally said, setting his teacup down. "To what do I owe the honor? I am not mistaken, I think, in supposing you are here for more than a pleasant chat."_

 _Lord Ryu let out a breath of slight relief at Won's business-like manner. He had heard many things about the ninth prince, but that he was straightforward was not one of them. Lord Ryu appreciated the ability to be straightforward in a man, and he relaxed slightly. That was his second mistake. His first was that he had come at all. "The purpose of my coming is, alas, not a social call, though perhaps, I may call later with my youngest daughter." Further marriage into the royal family was always something to aspire to._

 _"I will look forward to that," Won said. "I have heard many good things about the young Lady Ryu."_

 _"I came here with questions."_

 _Won smiled, picking his cup up again and taking a slow, deliberate sip. "Many have."_

 _"What do you mean?"_

 _The prince laughed, looking at Lord Ryu with great amusement at his surprise. "You do not think you are the first? This wedding has raised many questions, Lord Ryu. But ask away."_

 _Lord Ryu's hand shook only very slightly to take his cup and drink from it. "What has happened to the eighth prince? I had heard rumors of treachery and sedition but…"_

 _"He is dead," Won said, taking another sip of tea and watching the surprise on Lord Ryu's face turn into shock. "Executed for his crimes against the king. Do not worry, it is only known in certain circles."_

 _"Surely not!" Lord Ryu exclaimed, ignoring the jab at his status._

 _"I was there, Lord Ryu. It is true." Wang Won's face was a mask of false regret, not quite hiding his amusement, and a shiver went down Lord Ryu's spine as he thought that perhaps it was not the best of ideas to come here to his house with questions that may have well been answered by someone else._

 _"Then this marriage…" he said slowly, coming to realize what it meant for Goryeo; Wang Yo's second, successful coup, Wang Wook's quiet death, the marriage of the Hwangbo princess, and the calculating look Park Sul Hui had given the king at his wedding feast._

 _Won answered his unasked question. "Yes."_

 _"Is no-one to be trusted?!" exploded Lord Ryu. "What has Goryeo come to?"_

 _"Of course not, Lord Ryu," Won said, laughing. "In that respect, nothing has changed. Not my brothers, not the other houses, not even_ me _. Goryeo has, however, come to another tipping point. My father made Goryeo from the ashes of Taebong – and now, who knows what will happen? Who will come next after our new king?"_

 _"The reason that you allowed me to come and see you, Highness…" Lord Ryu began, "Is it about the king? Is Wang Yo truly to retain his throne for long, or-"_

 _Won laughed very, very loudly – and hard. "Oh, goodness!" he exclaimed. "For the gods' sakes, be careful of what you say, or it may be misinterpreted!" He leaned forward, putting his hand on Lord Ryu's silk-clad knee. "Or, worse; interpreted correctly. …Park Sul Hui is not pleased with a king of House Yoo, as we are known for… Not being particularly malleable, shall we say? Also, there's that_ little _detail of him having bloodily supported our previous king Hyejong to such an extent, then trying to bring Wook's dreams of king-hood to life… And we, the Yoo, both Chungju and the poorer cousins," he gave a wryly amused smile, "Are wondering who he will choose now that both Moo and Wook are gone. Perhaps he will choose a young, weak king of House Ham, or a bitter king of the Kims of old Silla… But one thing is for certain. In the end, he is not the one who puts a king upon the throne. There are others. Lord Wang Shik Ryeom of the North and West, and_ you _."_

 _Trembling slightly, Ryu Cheon Gung raised a heavy hand to tap his own chest. "I?" he asked tremulously._

 _As suddenly as he had leaned forward, Won leaned back, smiling widely. "It pays to be loyal, Lord Ryu. The king sitting upon our golden throne now has yet to truly prove himself. And make no mistake, His Majesty will – one way or another. With blood…" Won took a sip, "Or with gold. Knowing my dear older brother as I do, though," he added, "It is much more likely that it will be the former – and we'll leave the latter to me." The relaxed, sleepy expression on the ninth prince's face, and the sharp, dangerous light in his eyes were at odds, and Lord Ryu could say nothing, only staring at him. There was an odd feeling beginning in his heart, like palpitations, but he ignored it, his tongue feeling thick in his mouth._

 _"You know, Lord Ryu," Won continued conversationally, "I have this… Well, you can call it a_ bad habit _, I suppose. Do you want to know what it is?" Taking Lord Ryu's silence for assent, the ninth prince continued. "It_ is _a nasty little habit, I know, but I feel I must confess it to you, now that you've given me the honor of your presence in my house." His smile was wider now, much wider, his eyes narrow and snake-like, the shadows thrown onto him by the pavilion's pillars darkening his shining eyes. "It is the habit of serving only one king at a time, whether he is enthroned or not. Horrible little quirk, I know. But at the moment, it is only Wang Yo, my dearest third brother, that I will stand for on the throne. He tolerates all of my little hobbies, you see." His teeth glinted. "Speaking of which, Lord Ryu… How is your tea?"_

 _His limbs felt heavy, and the odd feeling in his chest coalesced into pain. His throat felt narrow, and his tongue was definitely swollen. He had been poisoned. He had been poisoned by the man sitting and smiling in front of him. He tried to rise, tried to draw the decorative dagger at his side, but he could not move, and instead of a cry of, 'You poisoned me!' he managed a small, slurred groan of, "You… Pois'n… M'…" that was almost lost in the rustling of flowers in the breeze._

 _And yet, Won still smiled. "Don't worry. You will live. It wears off in a few hours with good sleep." His smile widened. "Probably."_

 _Lord Ryu could not turn his head, but he heard footsteps behind him, felt people lifting his chair, and as he was borne away and laid in his palanquin, he saw Won's smiling face, and the last thing he said, "I_ did _say – trust no-one. I will tell the king you are his supporter. The alternative…" he sighed, his face a picture of regret, "Would be too unpleasant to think about."_

 _"You… Mon…st'r…" Lord Ryu choked out._

 _Won smiled, cocking his head to the side. "Oh, goodness. If you think such a thing of me, what do you think the_ king _will be like? For I only follow his instruction. Keep well, Lord Ryu."_

 _In the palanquin, sleep finally took Lord Ryu, though he fought long and hard against it._

 _In the pavilion, Won returned to his cushioned seat and his cup of tea. A servant leaned down to whisper a few words to him. "Lord Lim has arrived? Just in time. Show him in. Send a message to the king, telling him that so far, everything is going well here, just as he commanded. And… Bring some more_ tea _for me and my guest, will you, darling?"_

/

 **YEAR: 947**

Soo took her afternoon tea in the gardens in the pavilion, with Baek Ah, the golden sun shining in warmly, reflecting off of the tea in their cups and dancing in ripples over the pavilion's ceiling. Spring had just passed with its cool days and rainy nights, and the heat of summer had not yet set in. Court ladies stood on attendance outside, as inside, Baek Ah played a simple tune on his pipes. "It takes some effort to get used to these new ones…" he said.

"It sounds great!" Soo exclaimed.

Baek Ah made a face. "Saying that when you know how I sound normally…" He shook his head, then grinned. "How have you been?"

" _Very_ well, actually," Soo said firmly.

"You seem to be getting on well with His Majesty," Baek Ah noticed with arched eyebrows, taking a sip of his tea. "The court ladies all tell stories of your conversations at the archery grounds and your walks along the wall-tops." There was no tone of accusation in his tone, only mild curiosity, yet Soo felt the need to try and explain herself. She didn't, however. What was she guilty of? Nothing.

Soo sighed and settled back in her chair, glaring up at the ceiling. "I bet the only reason he keeps seeing me so often is to laugh at me." She lowered her voice to a dramatic whisper that only Baek Ah could hear. "He's _frustrating_."

Baek Ah raised both eyebrows. "I'll admit, out of all descriptions for our king; that one was never on the top of the list, for me at least." He took a sip of tea. "But that's not what I came to talk about with you." He leaned over to tap Soo's knee, starting to grin. "I have some _very_ good news. You'll never guess who's back." His grin widened. "I'll give you a clue. It's someone who really wants to see you."

Soo's eyes widened. "He's _back_?" She rose and grabbed Baek Ah's sleeve. "He's really back? He wants to see me?"

The thirteenth prince's eyes softened and he looked down, startled, as he realized how she interpreted his words, laying his hand over Soo's. "Oh, _Soo_ , no, I'm so sorry… No, it's not my fourth brother, Soo, I'm sorry. I have heard nothing from him for at least a month now." He put his hand over hers in a comforting gesture. " _Jung's_ back," he said. Soo nodded, but she could not suppress the clench in her heart when she wondered about So, about whether he even thought about her anymore.

Baek Ah jumped up and peered out of the pavilion's window to the bushes below. "Hey! Come on!" he called. Soo rose.

There was a rustling, a clattering, and then Jung ran up the steps to the pavilion, grinning, a leaf stuck in his hair. He still wore his armor, and his hair loose around his shoulders, seeming somehow taller than before. "Sis!" he exclaimed, taking both her hands and spinning her around. "I missed you so much!" He looked down at her, and there was something different in his eyes, something that had not been there before he had gone away. "Are you eating well?" he asked quietly, but his question was that much larger.

Smiling back, Soo nodded. "Yes. I have been, Your Highness. I've missed you too." She took a step back and looked him over, and he folded his arms behind his back posing and preening. "Wa-ah! You've changed so much. You look like such a dashing general now!" she exclaimed. "Are you taller?"

Jung grinned. "Yep! I'm still growing, somehow!" He put an arm around Baek Ah's shoulders pulling him a little bit closer for comparison. "I'm _way_ taller than this guy now!"

"Yah, ' _this_ guy'?! I'm your older brother, dammit, show some respect, punk!" Baek Ah retorted, hitting Jung's armored chest, annoyed.

Soo laughed, Jung grinned, and Baek Ah rolled his eyes. For a few moments, as the sun shone down in the summer, the three of them could have a time together that was carefree and light – three friends with great love for each other, simply enjoying each other's presence because for once, there were a few hours of peace and contentment.

/

 _Yeon Hwa's face was pale, and she could barely stand to look at her food in the mornings, claiming illness. However, she craved salty things, lots of salty, spicy things – meat stews, kimchi, other kinds of pickles… She would eat them, and eat them, and only then would she feel satisfied. Her robes began to feel tight on her, and her breasts swelled painfully. It was the court doctor who told her what she already knew – that she was pregnant. The king's child, a future crown prince, was growing inside of her. Immediately afterwards, the court doctor was 'sent away' by the king, a dark bundle being thrown into a ditch in the middle of the night, face disfigured and unrecognizable._

 _The king's face was drawn as he paced, seeming preoccupied, and Yeon Hwa lay in her bed, hair splayed out across the pillows, following him with her eyes. "No-one must know of this. You are simply ill," he said sharply, turning on her. "As soon as possible, I will send you to Hwangju to stay in your mother's temple in secret."_

 _"Every queen with the king's child in her is vulnerable," Yeon Hwa said carefully. "But is there something else happening, Your Majesty?"_

 _"Perhaps," Yo said, casting a heavy look at her. "Be careful. Always have someone taste your food before you eat it, right there in front of you. I will have guards posted outside your room, along with the usual court ladies."_

 _Yeon Hwa nodded._

 _Yo paused, then looked back at her. "That could be a crown prince, Yeon Hwa," he said, his voice less sharp than before, almost bordering on gentle. "Stay well."_

 _"I will, Your Majesty," Yeon Hwa said, and as she tilted her head forward, she allowed herself the tiniest of smiles._


	10. Chapter 10

When Jung arrived in the throne room, Yo was ready for him; clearing the table before his throne and leaning an elbow on it, watching the younger, armored man reach the middle of the room and bow. On his left, Ji Mong shifted, and Yo caught the astronomer frowning, a sad expression in his eyes. Yo ignored him. "Rise," he said.

Jung came out of his deep bow and looked up at Yo for a moment. "The fourteenth prince greets His Majesty," he said, his tone clipped and serious, his gaze immediately returning to the floor. There was something about his movements and the deep cast of his eyes that reminded Yo of So now, and he realized that Khitan had changed Jung.

The boy had grown, and he was no longer the Jung Yo had known. Yo hadn't sent Jung to Khitan for any personal reason; either to isolate Soo, nor to get rid of any competition in his mother's eyes. No, he had sent Jung because it was what Goryeo needed. Baek Ah was not enough of a military man, Eun was even less so, he needed Won by his side to deal with the nobility – and So was in Seokyeong (besides, it would have been too great an honor for the wolf-dog). He had to send a prince of his own house, because otherwise he would be favoring one of the noble houses over the others; or punishing them. The line was thin and ill-defined. Jung was the only logical choice – and he proved himself well. Now, however, some small, suppressed part of him that remembered ridiculous, sun-soaked days full of tall grass, unstoppable laughter, and the clatter of wooden swords; Yo felt remorse. Of course, he showed nothing. "It's been a while, brother," Yo said lightly.

"Two years," Jung said, much less mildly, ice in his tone and steel in the set of his shoulders.

"You proved yourself," Yo said, with an affectedly lazy gesture of his hand. "I can reward you well. Ask for whatever you wish, besides the throne, and I'll grant it to you." He fixed Jung with a look, but Jung's eyes were still firmly fixed to the floor.

Jung bowed. "I have nothing I want as for now that Your Majesty could grant me," he said quietly, looking down at his feet.

"Short of bringing the sun from the sky, I do not see what I could _not_ grant you," Yo said, raising an eyebrow. He looked down at Jung for a fraction of a second, then shifted to recline against the back of the throne. "…But no matter, when you do think of something, I will grant your request. I swear it."

For a while, Jung said nothing, and he stood in silence in the middle of the floor, Yo watching him intently. Finally, he spoke again, but the air of cold steeliness was gone, and he sounded like the boy he was before he had left two years ago. His voice didn't shake, but it came close to doing so. "Br- Your Majesty? Can I ask you a question?" Yo shrugged, and Jung took it as a 'yes'. "Soo… While I was gone… How was she?"

Yo raised an eyebrow. "The one she is pining after wasn't you, you know," he said. The statement wasn't meant to be cruel, just flatly delivered, a warning – but it came out wrong and a curtain of poorly-gathered blankness dropped over Jung's face. To his left, he saw Ji Mong quickly look up at him and wince, and he shot a glare at the court astronomer. He didn't need _Choi Ji Mong_ of all people to be wincing at him.

"I know," Jung said quietly. "But… Was she eating well?" He looked up, the hope on his face palpable.

There was a small pause, and then the corner of Yo's mouth lifted involuntarily. "…Yes," he said. "Well enough."

Jung's face split into a grin for a moment, and Yo snorted.

/

 _"My Prince." Kim Haeng Pa looked up from the book he had been reading and rose from his desk to greet Baek Ah. "My thanks to you for coming so soon, upon my request," he said, bowing from the waist, but not low. The thirteenth prince smiled and bowed slightly back, gaze ghosting around Lord Kim's study, at the weapons and paintings of Silla in its former glory on the walls, and the books of military strategy stacked neatly on the shelves behind the desk._

 _"You wished to speak with me, Lord Uncle?" Baek Ah asked mildly._

 _"Please sit," Lord Kim said, a half-hearted echo of Baek Ah's smile on his face._

 _Baek Ah sat, and Lord Kim also, behind his desk, back straight and expression hard and neutral. There was a silence, during which Baek Ah shifted uncomfortably. 'One thing I know,' he thought, 'And that is that this is not just a social call. Being born a prince is both a blessing and a curse – for I can admit to enjoying the privileges my fortunes allow me, yet to be embroiled in politics and intrigue is much more than I can handle. But there is very little in which I can deny my lord uncle.' Kim Eok Ryeom was officially Baek Ah's grandfather, for he had adopted Baek Ah's mother – but he was not old enough to be a grandfather by fifteen years; as was Kim Haeng Pa. But it was Kim Haeng Pa who had housed Baek Ah and his mother during the young prince's childhood, and Baek Ah remembered him fondly._

 _"Your mother sends her love," Lord Kim said._

 _Smiling again, Baek Ah nodded. "I do likewise."_

 _The lord brushed a tired hand over his graying hair and looked stoically down at his desk top, looking as if he was going to say something, but did not, only sighing and leaning back in his chair. Baek Ah sought to fill the silence with conversation. "How is my lady aunt?" he asked, crossing his legs and shifting comfortably in his chair. "I have heard that the has successfully married all five of my cousins off to the Chungju Yoo."_

 _He regretted the words as soon as they slipped form his mouth, for he saw Lord Kim's expression shift and sharpen, the lines around his mouth becoming hard and his eyes flinty. "Yes," he said stiffly. "That is so."_

 _The thirteenth prince fumbled for words. "…I- I did not seek to offend you-"_

 _"No, I apologize," Lord Kim said. "It is exactly that which I wish to speak of with you. Of our Yoo king, his Yoo mother and brothers and the northwestern Wang Shik Ryeom who has all but become one of the Yoo himself."_

 _Baek Ah started in his seat, rushing to defend them. "Jung and So are not like either His Majesty or the Queen Mother. They are both good men."_

 _Lord Kim raised an eyebrow. "So, in the time that I have been away from the capital, the savage wolf-prince and his spoiled brat of a brother have become good men?"_

 _"Children grow," Baek Ah said with an offhand shrug, "And savagery can be curbed."_

 _"Curbed?" The one word hung in the air and Baek Ah winced._

 _"He doesn't, ah, cut things up just for the shock value, and things like that," Baek Ah said, waving a hand. "He, ah, grew out of it."_

 _Lord Kim seemed intrigued. "Due to your influence?"_

 _"No," Baek Ah said, already afraid he said too much. There was love between him and his uncle, certainly. The thirteenth prince mother was his niece and Baek Ah grew up in his household. But now especially, Baek Ah knew he had to be careful what he spoke of in front of who, for it could cost him and those he cared for very dearly._

 _"I have heard baseless rumors," Lord Kim said, "Of Lady Hae Soo, the third queen, and her closeness with the princes."_

 _"Not so baseless, my lord uncle," Baek Ah said with a smile. "She is my friend; one that could not be finer."_

 _Lord Kim's expression soured, and he shook his head, a pedantic tone entering his voice, as if Baek Ah was a child in need of lecturing. "Anyone who is part of Goryeo's royal family is to be avoided – Baek Ah, surely you know that. You know not by what means she managed to receive such a rank."_

 _Baek Ah looked sharply at his uncle and spoke flatly, desperately trying not to take offense at the blatant disdain to his best friend, and the assumption of his own foolishness. "I_ do _know, and well. Hae Soo is an honorable woman and a great friend of mine. She never wanted to be married to the king, either my father or my third brother. To avoid marriage to my father she cut her arm open with a sharp shard from a broken vase on her wedding night, so that it would scar. Soo said that she didn't want to live a life controlled by other people."_

 _Looking mildly impressed, Lord Kim shifted forward slightly. "Truly? She seems a remarkable woman."_

 _"Indeed she is," Baek Ah said, trying not to appear_ too _smug._

 _"Then why, pardon my curiosity," Lord Kim said, "Did she marry this king? Surely there is no love between them."_

 _Baek Ah stopped. He would reveal too much if he spoke any further, and he didn't know what his uncle was planning to do with this information. Before the wedding, they had not seen each other in years – and now that Baek Ah saw his brothers and their houses involving themselves in complicated political and seditious dances, he was afraid that he would unwittingly become a part of House Kim's bitterness for old Silla and plots for power in the hierarchy of Goryeo. So he smiled mildly and simply said, "Love? I don't know about love, but I think there is a mutual tolerance borne of several years of marriage."_

 _Lord Kim let the subject go, looking like he sensed that Baek Ah said all he would say. "I wished to speak with you of House Yoo."_

 _"What of it?" Baek Ah asked lightly, dreading whatever it was that Lord Kim was about to say._

 _"It has been a point of debate among many, whether our new king will keep his throne for long. Taejo had built an empire, and things had been more-or-less stable under him. But when he handed it over to his son, King Hyejong_ dropped _it. Wang Yo seems to be made of different stuff – however, a bloodthirsty king is no better than a cowardly one."_

 _"You know that my rank in the palace is not so high as to involve me in such matters, uncle. I know nothing – only that my eighth brother is dead and that Yeon Hwa is having her utmost wish granted – to become a queen. I know that Hae Soo is lonely in her queen's quarters, and I know that lord uncle Kim Eok Ryeom was playing a dangerous game." Baek Ah sighed. "Neither gold nor steel interests me, uncle. My greatest wish is to never become embroiled in court politics – and to live in the country with my musical instruments, my paints and a loving wife."_

 _Lord Kim raised an eyebrow. "A gisaeng?"_

 _'It seems to be the worst-kept secret in the capital…' Baek Ah sighed inwardly, but only tilted his head to the side noncommittally in response. "Uncle, if you want to know who to back, I am not the one to ask."_

 _"I see…" Lord Kim sighed. "I am a nobleman of old Silla. To see a Wang on the throne and not a Kim… Even after all these years, it is disconcerting."_

 _Baek Ah's eyebrows advanced up his forehead. "Uncle!" he said warningly. 'Saying things like that may get him in trouble.' He leaned forward. "Silla was in decline and deeply vulnerable. During your lifetime, it was never as wonderful as they all remember it to be!"_

 _"That may be true," he said with a sigh. "But it was_ ours _. Given time, given resources, we could have fixed everything." Lord Kim waved a dismissive hand. "I was a very young man when your father rose to the throne, indeed I was only eighteen – very alike to you, wishing the world better and hoping to fly away from the maelstrom of intrigue that broke out then. But I had to change, just as you will have to."_

 _"What are you talking about?" Baek Ah asked, feeling greatly uneasy._

 _"I never liked Wang Geon, he had taken everything from us and redistributed the leftovers. But he was an honorable man, and I could not begrudge him the throne, unlike many others," Lord Kim said quietly. "Take my advice, Baek Ah. Do not turn away from the ugly things and try to pretend they do not exist. Do not be imprudent, holding stones together with your bare hands as the walls crumble around you. Be honorable, do nothing you will regret in years to come. Harden your heart and remember that you are_ twice _royal."_

/

During dinner, the king seemed tired and distant, not saying much. She had not seen him for a few days, and she had heard it was because of Yeon Hwa's illness that he stayed by her side. It was obvious that Yo didn't love her, but Soo wondered what on earth could make Yo stay by her sickbed – and if, perhaps, Yo was more fond of her than he seemed. When they were done eating, Yo commanded the servant to bring a bottle of strong wine, which was unusual as the king preferred not to drink much. Soo poured him a cup, but none for herself. Around the king it was best to keep one's wits sharp and avoid inebriation.

As her wrist dipped gracefully and the wine streamed in a delicate curve into his cup, Soo held the sleeve of her pouring arm up. Yo watched her movements with an odd look on his face, and when she stopped pouring the wine, moving to put the bottle down, Yo reached out and took her wrist.

Soo's eyes widened. "Y-Your Majesty, what-"

He took the bottle form her and set it down, pulling her sleeve down further and turning her up to look at it. There was an odd look of pensiveness on his face as he did so, and Soo's confused words died in her throat. Then, she realized why. "You haven't covered your scar," Yo said, no particular inflection in his voice.

'Oh, goddamn it, I forgot!' flashed through her mind, before she gathered her wits about herself. "My apologies for my absentmindedness, Your Majesty. Please forgive me," she said quickly.

Yo eyed her scar for a moment longer. It was a clean line, not particularly straight but long, and the cut had been deep. The scar itself had faded to white over time, not raised, easy to cover. "You did this to yourself?" he asked curiously. "I've heard the story before, but not from you."

"Yes, Your Majesty. I broke a vase and used one of the shards," she said, feeling oddly proud of that moment when she had taken her fate into her own hands.

He nodded and let go, drinking from his cup. "Rather than becoming a queen, you tore your arm open with a piece of a broken vase."

"I didn't want-" Soo began to retort defensively before she cut herself off.

Yo snorted, then slowly shook his head. "Whatever you do, you do not live quietly," he said. "Your story was popular among the commoners. The woman who would rather die than marry the king, for love of a handsome prince. It never mentioned which one of us it was, but I will surmise it was Wook." He smirked at her. "Am I right?"

Soo did not answer, and he shrugged. She poured him more wine and settled back in her chair, welcoming the silence. Sometimes, she almost enjoyed the king's company, but it was at moments like these that he reminded her who he truly was and what his true character was. He was vindictive because it amused him to see her riled up. Yet, sometimes, it was so hard not to see the man who grudgingly graded her snowman-making skills that one time, or wryly smiled as her makeup brush danced over his face after a particularly bad night.

"…Have you ever been pregnant?" he suddenly asked.

Soo choked on nothing, train of thought completely breaking. "What- _No_!" she exclaimed. As Ha Jin she had been on the pill, and in Goryeo… Well… One had to be _extremely_ careful. "…I-I never- Ah, may I ask why the question, your Majesty?" she tried carefully, face flushing slightly. 'Oh, god, he's not going to-'

"Just a question," he said, waving his hand dismissively at her, not even taking the opportunity to tease her in any way. The distant look in his eyes returned. "Apparently, pregnant women cannot eat fish."

"Uh…" Soo said, raising an eyebrow. "I don't think that's true." Something nagged at the back of her mind as Yo's fingers began to tap against the rim of his cup. Something about Yeon Hwa- Her eyes widened. "Your Majesty!" she exclaimed.

Yo looked at her. "What?"

"Princess Yeon Hwa… She isn't-"

He was out of his chair and his hand over her mouth before she could blink. The chair screeched across the floor with his sudden weight. His knee was braced against the chair beside her thigh, and his other hand was on the back of the chair. When he looked down at her, his eyes were sharp. " _Queen_ ," he said in a low, silky voice laden with menace. " _Queen_ Yeon Hwa has taken ill. Speak to no-one of this."

Soo's eyes were wide and her breath died in her throat, her heart beating quickly with surprise and fright. She blinked up at him and he seemed as if he was going to draw back – when the court lady outside the door said something, and the door opened.

The young messenger in the doorway gulped audibly, face going red. Soo realized what the scenario appeared like to him, and wanted to roll her eyes but didn't. Yo, however, did. He drew back, completely unconcerned, and took the folded paper from the boy. He waved an imperious hand and made a clicking noise at him, and the messenger scampered off as fast as he could, the doors swinging shut behind him.

Yo unfolded the paper and read a few lines with raised eyebrows; looked up at Soo for a few moments, smirked, then continued to read. When he finished, he laughed, folding the paper back up and throwing it onto his desk, then going over to the table and drinking form his cup.

Soo's mind began to race. Why had he looked at her like that? What did the paper say that put the king in such a good mood? Something that applied to her that would make the king happy… Soo could think of nothing, and her eyebrows drew together in consternation. The thought came to her, unbidden, and she wished that her mind would let go of false hopes. Was So coming back? Could that be it? But why would that make Yo happy?

And, more than anything, why was he hiding Yeon Hwa's pregnancy? Wouldn't she be held in higher esteem as the wife of a king if it was common knowledge that she was with child?

/

Soo waved as Baek Ah and Jung left her and smiled widely, content that her friends were both here, for being together with them such a joy. Having tea with them almost every day made her feel happier and lighter than she had in months. The happy mood was soon dampened, however, by an approaching court lady's words. "The Queen Mother requests your presence Milady Hae," she said, then bowed low and glided backward as she delivered her message.

Again. Damn. Without quite realizing that she'd done it, Soo's hands tightened into fists, nails biting into her palms, but she nodded her head, forcing pleasantry into her voice. "I will attend her." This was the fourth time Queen Yoo summoned Soo in as many days, and she was beginning to be sick of it. The Queen Mother obviously wanted something, and all Soo knew was that she should not get it, whatever it is.

They made trite conversation over tea, conversation in which they spoke of things such as the weather and fashion in the capital. Soo knew enough of the first and barely anything of the second, and she tended to stiffly sit and pretend to sip at her tea as Queen Yoo spoke at length, an obviously fake smile playing on the Queen Mother's lips. Soo would not drink anything when Queen Yoo was nearby, she decided, and she would slowly drip the tea from the cup into her sleeve under the guise of drinking.

Everything about that woman made Soo feel as if her hair had been brushed the wrong way, and she recalled So weeping, face bloody, as he tore apart the towers of prayer stones; the poisoned tea; Yo's first, unsuccessful coup attempt after Taejo's death. There was something wrong. Every time Queen Yoo looked at her, Soo's shoulders tensed and she expected to be poisoned, stabbed or to watch someone she loved get hurt. Soo didn't believe in absolute evil. But if she spent any more time around Queen Yoo, she might begin to. In those four days, she had not seen Yo – and Soo didn't know what he would have to say about her situation. Probably, 'Pretend to be nothing but a pretty face in front of her,' as he had mentioned earlier. More than anything, she wanted to fake being ill and hide away in her rooms from that woman.

Wistfully, Soo remembered a time, long ago, when she was Go Ha Jin; a friend, recently married, complaining about her 'evil mother-in-law'. 'If it was a competition,' Soo thought, 'I think now, I would win the 'Evillest Mother-in-law' award.' Not that it was anything to be proud of, she'd give the award up in a second. Soo sighed, wising for the days when Queen Yoo was resting in a temple in Chungju. Those were good days.

Today, they had tea in the pavilion overlooking the lake, and Queen Yoo's eyes bored into Soo – a trait that she had passed on to at least one of her sons, if not two. Soo tried a smile that felt more like a grimace and bowed low, waiting to be seated until Queen Yoo was comfortable. Tea was poured, and as always, Queen Yoo spoke first. She looked out over the lake, and her lips curved up in a smile. "My son has returned from Khitan, Lady Soo, do you know?"

Soo gave a half-bow nod and pretended to drink. "Yes, Your Grace. It good that he has returned well and unharmed," she said politely.

"Jung is a good boy," Queen Yoo said, nodding. "You are close to him, are you not, Lady Soo?"

There was steel in the Queen Mother's voice, and Soo swallowed, ducking her head and fishing for clever, slippery words. "We are well acquainted," she said slowly.

"He speaks much – and well – of you," Queen Yoo said, satisfaction creeping into her tone. "Tell me, Lady Soo, have you met His Majesty's son yet? My grandson?"

Soo shook her head, slightly discomfited by the quick subject-change. "…I have not had the honor." By Yo's descriptions, Grand Prince Gyungchunwon was a pudgy, petulant four-year-old who ate anything and _everything_ ; and was often sick. From others, she had heard that the little prince looked very much like Yo. As much as Soo hated to admit it, that would be the most adorable thing she'd ever seen. Cooing over Yo's baby photos was not something she could do in this era, she reminded herself.

"The poor boy has taken ill again," Queen Yoo said with anything but sympathy in her tone.

"My condolences, and well-wishes for your grandson's speedy recovery," Soo said, her heart clenching. In this era, the child mortality rates were so much higher… She hoped that the boy would be alright.

"Jung has succeeded greatly in Khitan," Queen Yoo said with a smile. "The king wishes to reward him."

Saying nothing, Soo bowed her head again. What would Jung ask for? What would Yo give him? Why was Queen Yoo speaking of this to her, and what did Yo's son have to do with anything?

Queen Yoo leaned slightly forward in her seat, scanning Soo with intensity, and Soo resisted the powerful urge to draw back, keeping her eyes fixed in her teacup. The Queen Mother smiled so widely and insincerely that it made Soo's skin crawl. "You are a very pretty girl to make His Majesty fall for you. My son has chosen well."

"Your Grace is too generous," Soo said, trying to appear as simperingly stupid and pretty as Yo said she should appear in front of his mother. She remembered the Queen Mother's cruelty, directed at her, others… She began to have a very bad feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"There's something I want you to tell him, Lady Soo," Queen Yoo said softly, reaching out and taking Soo's hand. "My daughter-in-law, you are a wonderful girl, and I know you will make many smart decisions." Soo wanted nothing more than to scream and run, because that's one of the smartest decisions she _could_ make, under the circumstances. "You want what's best for Jung, your dear friend, and to help your loving husband, right?"

'Loving husband,' were the two words that made Soo bite the insides of her cheeks to keep herself from laughing, and laughing _hard_. Yo being described as a loving husband was just so _wrong_ , and Soo realized what Queen Yoo wanted. She lost influence over her son, but she wanted to regain it through Soo – who is in all outward appearance – Yo's favored wife. 'Oh, Your Majesty, what have you gotten me into _now_?' She looked up at Queen Yoo. "Yes," she said.

The smile on Queen Yoo's face grew. "Good…" she said. "The way you can help him is to make him _feel_ like Jung is really the right person to be his heir, you understand?" She patted Soo's hand and drew back. "I'm so worried for him…"

Soo blanched, a stuffy feeling beginning in her chest. 'So that's what she wants…' She swallowed, then pretended to take a sip of her tea. "Of course, Your Grace. Your concern for His Majesty is truly admirable."

When she was dismissed from the pavilion and Queen Yoo was out of sight, Soo braced herself against a wall, pressing a shaking hand to her chest. Queen Yoo was frightening, and what this meant for both Jung and Yo, not to mention Yo's son… Soo's mouth went dry. What should she do? Talk to Jung and try to come up with a plan? Tell the king and risk the life of one of her best friends? Tell no-one and risk the life of Yo's son and son-to-be? Cold fear gripped her heart and she thumped a fist against the front of her chest, trying to dislodge the stuck feeling.


	11. Chapter 11

_The lanterns lit up on the wall and the guards' barracks illuminated the courtyard, but she stood near the shadows, torn between one loyalty and another. She brought her hands up to cover her mouth to mask her quick breath. Could she pretend she had seen nothing? But she had never been a convincing liar…_ _'No.' This was her work, this was her obligation – and she would do it._ _She owed more than a life debt – and besides duty, there was love in her._

 _And so, Chae Ryung walked quickly and with her head down, hands folded stiffly in front of herself. Inside, her heart quaked; every sound, every person passing by her filling her with the fear that someone would look at her and ask what she was doing here alone, and where she was going, and why. But no-one did, and she tried to make her relieved breaths with every step she took less obvious. The gardens were empty as the shade of the darkening sky deepened, and the shadows grew with every step she took. She shivered at the rapid cooling of the air. Summer was almost at an end and autumn would soon be upon the capital._

 _She could see the garden's west pavilion's roof through the greenery up ahead, and she quickened her steps, the crunch of gravel under her shoes deafening to her own ears. It seemed as if the path was longer than she remembered, and when she finally ascended the steps of the pavilion, she was out of breath. Over the shadowy greenery, she could see the palace's lights being lit. Inside, the pavilion was much darker than the waning light of the garden, and she licked her lips nervously as her eyes became adjusted to the dark._

 _It should have been commonplace for her, but even after all these years her throat was dry with apprehension. "Your Highness?" she tentatively whisper-called into the gloom. "A-are you there?"_

 _There was a light chuckle, and then a shadow detached itself from a column, and the ninth prince stepped forward, a smile playing on his lips. "What have you got for me today, sweetling?"_

 _Chae Ryung swallowed. "The illness…" she began in a faltering voice. "Her Majesty's illness is…" With a rustle of robes, Won sat down and gestured for Chae Ryung to do likewise, beside him. At the overly familiar gesture, Chae Ryung quailed, but could do nothing but obey. "S-she is with child…" Chae Ryung whispered._

 _Won's lips quirked and his dark eyes brightened. "The king's?"_

 _"I-I would assume so, Your Highness…" Chae Ryung trailed off, looking up at him wide-eyed. "Do you think it's not?" she blurted._

 _Still smiling, Won shrugged his shoulders. "There is always that possibility," he said. "One that it is better to be prepared for than not to be." He spread his hands. "Although, knowing Yeon Hwa as I know her, I would say that_ this _particular possibility is highly unlikely."_

 _Chae Ryung ducked her head._

 _"Always be prepared, Chae Ryung. Expect the absolute_ worst _of people," he chuckled, "And then proceed as necessary."_

 _Fear coiled in the pit of her stomach as Chae Ryung watched Won's sly smile unfurl on his face once again. "What will Your Highness do?" she suddenly blurted out. "Will she be alright?" Foreboding grew within her and she tried to push it down with shame at doubting the ninth prince. She owed him, she loved him. But Chae Ryung couldn't pretend that what she did wouldn't have consequences anymore. She had seen the previous king's pale face and sunken eyes as he floated in the bathing pool of the Damiwon, pale and dead, cradled in the Court Astronomer's shaking arms as he quietly wept._

 _And he would have died anyway, because there was poison, mercury, inside the herbs for his baths – mercury that His Highness had given her, hidden in the bath herbs. Mercury for the palace mirrors, he had said with a wink. But the wink meant that someone was going to die. Because His Highness had been planning something, and he trusted her to help him. Chae Ryung loved that he trusted her, that she could be useful to him, even if he saw her as nothing more than a reliable servant-girl._

 _She was startled by Won laying a hand on her shoulder, looking at her with serious, dark eyes. "Of course not, Chae Ryung," he said his thumb sweeping up and down over her clothed collarbone in a reassuring gesture that made her shiver slightly. "Trust me." Dumbfounded, she nodded and he smiled at her, drawing back. "Thank you," he said. "I am glad."_

 _"M-my most sincere apologies…" she stammered, ducking her head, "I-it was not my place."_

 _He said nothing to that, simply smiled and rose. She quickly stood also, bowing deep. "I will see you again," he said. "Very soon." He took his leave of her smoothly, and she barely saw his silk-clad back disappear into the shadowed garden._

/

Yo looked down at the white-clad corpse of the woman in front of him. Her features were nondescript, but bulging in a choking rictus of agony, blood leaking from the corner of her mouth. Her eyes were open and bloodshot, staring vacantly up towards the sky.

"What a disturbing death."

Yo turned to look behind himself, having suppressed the urge to jump with surprise at the proximity of the voice. "Won."

Won bowed from the waist, his fingers interlaced in front of himself. "Your Majesty. It seems that something is bothering you."

"At the moment," Yo snapped, turning away from his ninth brother, " _You're_ bothering me."

"Ah, my sincere apologies," Won said in a tone that was neither sincere nor apologetic. "Is there any way I can assist Your Majesty?"

Yo, distracted, disgruntled and entirely enraged, waved a hand at Won, wanting him to just _leave_ so he could _think_. "Go investigate or something," he muttered, turning his back and beginning to pace. Won must have left at some point.

The day after his dinner with Soo and her realization of the truth Yeon Hwa's condition, the captain of the palace guard had approached Yo with news that a woman disguised as a court maid had attempted to poison the fourth queen's afternoon meal. She was apprehended and tortured before she could go through with it; but had bitten her own tongue off and choked on her own blood before anything could have been gotten out of her. The investigation as to the woman's identity was just beginning, but it was off to a depressing start, with no leads and no clues. She had no defining features and nothing on her person that would identify her as belonging to anyone; yet as he looked at her body stretched out on a plank in front of the palace dungeons' gate, he had the nagging suspicion that Park Sul Hui had made a move.

Without proof of Lord Park's guilt, however, he could do nothing – and so he retreated to his chambers to think and plan fruitlessly. The lamp cast a thick, orange light over his lavishly brocaded quarters, and he sat in his informal robes with his hair undone and mint oil in a jar beside him. A headache prickled at his temples, but he refused to let it surface, the sharp, clean scent of mint that clung to him, overpowering his senses.

Yo's teeth gritted. Yeon Hwa needed to leave, and quickly. Now, if he sent her away, it would be too obvious; but the palace was too dangerous for the queen and her unborn child. He could trust no-one, not the nobles, not the servants, not the guards. Nor, it would seem, his mother. Queen Yoo was plotting something, any fool could see it. The hatred his mother bore against Soo had been obvious when he first married her; even going so far as not to attend her son and monarch's wedding to the young noblewoman.

Yet now, she drank tea with Soo every day, and Yo knew what her game was. Queen Yoo would try to manipulate Soo into manipulating _him_ into doing what she wanted. That was what he had Soo for, to begin with. To catch people unawares, to misjudge him, to trick them into misjudging her. After all, Soo was exactly what she seemed. And that was what threw those of the court off completely. Deep down inside himself, he cursed his entire backstabbing family, from his mother down to his brothers.

In the lamplight, he toyed thoughtfully with his dagger, eyes narrowed and brows drawn together in consternation. What could he do? What resources did he have at his disposal? Soo would be useless to him in this scenario with Yeon Hwa. There was someone who could, however, take matters in hand in a discreet and covert manner; someone who had always done that for him since he first began plotting for the throne under his dearest mother's guidance.

Yo's dagger's blade glinted in the light, and he reflected to himself that as much as he hated to depend on Won, in this case he would have to devise a plan together with his ninth brother. Sometimes it seemed like Won knew everything; pulling strings and smiling as he maneuvered his game's pieces into their places. Yo knew that Won was ambitious, and that if he turned his back on him, cast him aside or made an enemy out of him, Yo would be in a most grievous situation. But Won's endgame had never seemed to be the throne itself. His sphere of experience were the shadows behind the throne, and Yo knew that Won would not make a good king; too many people would want to kill him outright, and too many clandestine things would be dangerously open.

Yo and Won knew how to use each other, and knew they _were_ using each other. It was a symbiotic relationship, but not a particularly comfortable one. Though he would not admit it, Yo was scared of his ninth brother, scared that Won would find a new king to back. Every time he saw the ninth prince, the disconcerting smile and easy mannerisms had always thrown Yo off-balance and made his skin crawl. He took a breath and plunged the point of his dagger into the tabletop, coming to a decision.

But just as he was about to call for a servant and his writing utensils, there was a low voice in his doorway. "Good evening, Your Majesty." Won smiled at him as he stepped forward into the light, bowing low, and Yo belatedly realized that he had been in such deep thought that he had not heard the ninth prince being announced.

"What do you want?" he asked gruffly, standing up and sheathing his dagger.

Won shook his head. "You asked me to investigate, remember, Your Majesty? I am not here to ask anything of you, but rather to offer you a solution to a problem. I have a plan, Your Majesty."

"What problem?" Yo gritted out, a nagging feeling of doubt beginning to grow inside of him.

Won smiled wider and began to admire Yo's curtains, pacing the room unhurriedly. "I have heard that children are one of life's greatest treasures." The sideways look he cast at Yo and the angle of the smirk on his face seemed to hold menace as he ran his fingers over the golden embroidery in the drapes. "I would like to _congratulate_ you-"

Yo let out a wordless, enraged roar as he leapt at Won and pinned him to the wall; his forearm over Won's throat. " _What do you know_?" he snarled.

Struggling to breathe but still trying to smile, Won gasped simply, "You _know_ I can help you." He met Yo's eyes, making a slight choking sound as Yo pressed further, 'But still with that fucking _smile_ on his face!'

With those words, however, Yo had to grudgingly admit that Won could help him. Won was the only one who could help him. He drew back, and Won slumped, couching and massaging his throat. "Talk," Yo said through tightly gritted teeth.

Breathlessly laughing, Won looked up at him. "That would-be assassin left behind a clue that the palace guard missed, perhaps on purpose, perhaps not. It had fallen in the kitchens," he rasped, shrugging. "Hidden in plain sight." He drew a pouch from the front of his robes and put it on the table between himself and the king. "This contained the poison, and still has traces of the powder inside." Won smiled. "The leather, however, tells an interesting story."

"Get to the point," Yo snapped. Won's showmanship grated on him, as well as his nonchalant reaction to Yo's threat.

Won bowed slightly. "The unique markings in the corner of the leather bag here, and the stitching here," he indicated both points with his finger, "Are indicative of being made in the South. Of all the places known for leatherworking, Suncheon is one of the main areas. And by the maker's mark," he pointed at it again, we know he is a well-known leatherworker called Jeo Seok. I asked about this Jeo Seok, and lo and behold, what do I find? He is a favorite of the Suncheon nobles and makes many things for them out of high-quality leather."

Yo's fingertips went cold and he snatched the bag off the table. "You're making this up," he said quickly. He wanted proof, and here it was. But going to what amounted civil war to get justice for an attempted poisoning? It seemed beyond inadvisable. However, he was the _king_. How else would he show his absolute authority to the noble houses? He had married two daughters of House Park before he had arisen to the throne, and they had proven less than useless in the uphill battle between Wang Shik Ryeom, Yoo and Park. "You're lying," he said again.

"Unfortunately, no," Won said with an apologetic shrug. "Everything I said just now was true."

The branch of the noble house that were the wardens of Suncheon… "House Park of Suncheon tried to poison my wife?"

Won looked down. "The bag being from a certain area and sold to a particular customer… It would be too much to make such an assumption, Your Majesty. If someone wanted to frame House Park it would be the easiest thing in the world."

"If you speak truly of finding it dropped in the kitchen and missed completely by the guard," here Yo gave Won a sharp look, "Then it is doubtful that it is a plot to frame House Park. Who would want to frame them?"

Raising an eyebrow for a moment, Won spread his arms. "No-one that I know of, Your Majesty."

Yo leaned carefully back in his chair, trying to show nothing of his feeling, taking in a sharp breath. "Park Sul Hui…" Yo said slowly.

Won nodded, his eyebrows drawing together in thought and pressing his lips together in what seemed like concern. It looked so out of place on Won's face that Yo didn't know whether to shudder or feel sorry for him. "As soon as I found out, I went to you Your Majesty," he said quietly. His eyes were serious and face drawn as he looked up into Yo's eyes for a moment. "Yeon Hwa is my half-sister, not only your wife. I worry for her and her unborn child. She is no longer safe here in the palace."

Yo looked oddly at Won, seeing the look of genuine worry pass across his face. "You said you had a plan," he reminded harshly.

"I do," Won said, straightening and smiling craftily again. "A rather good one."

/

After Khitan, Jung no longer practiced swordsmanship with a wooden blade; for the cleaving of steel was the truth, and the whistle of wood through the air a comfortable falsehood. He stood in the dust alone, taking a deep breath in as his sword slithered from its scabbard. Then, breathing out, he began to move.

At first, he slowly swept around in an arc, on guard, flat of the blade resting on his forearm as his knuckles tightened on the hilt in anticipation. Then, faster, he spun, cutting down, then sideways, jabbing forward with a heave of his shoulders, punctuating with an aerial kick. He moved faster and faster, sword blurring in his hand and sweat beginning to bead on his brow.

His throat went dry as he almost _felt_ flesh parting and blood spurting under his blade, a cry of pain and terror, and he saw the corpse of a man in front of him, then another-

Jung stopped, dropping his sword like it was an adder and panting, resting his hands on his knees as his shoulders heaved with his shuddering breaths. Not this again. 'I'm a general, damn it, I should be strong!' His hands shook as he reached up to rub his face. He shut his eyes tightly, and when he opened them again, he went to pick up his fallen sword.

He went through some simple forms, his boots kicking up dust.

"Your Highness!"

He turned to look over his shoulder at the sudden call, and smiled as he saw who it was that called for him. "Soo!" Jung exclaimed, spreading his arms. "What brings you here? Did you come to watch me train?" As she approached, however, he saw her more clearly, the paleness of her cheeks and the anxious way she bit her lip. "W-wait- What's wrong?"

Soo bowed hurriedly. "I need to talk to you," she said, more collected, but the urgency still rampant in her large eyes.

He smiled at her in reassurance. "Alright," he said, sheathing his sword and tying his hair up tighter.

"Do you trust me?" Soo asked, her eyebrows drawing together in something that may have been concern or fear.

Jung did not hesitate. "Of course," he said, lowering his head in what was almost a bow. Now that she had married the king, she was a queen. One of the four queens of Goryeo. His queen. "With everything I have, you know that." His own brow furrowed as he stepped closer to her, putting his hands on her shoulders and meeting her eyes with an intensity that almost surprised himself. "Tell me."

She nodded, looking down, and he stepped back, hands falling awkwardly to his sides. "Yesterday, I had tea with the Queen Mother," she said quietly.

Jung grinned, relief springing into his shoulders and loosening them. "I've heard that Mother has finally accepted you into the family-" The look in Soo's eyes as they met Jung's silenced him completely. She shook her head. It was still hard to reconcile the loving mother that Jung knew with the ruthless queen everyone else seemed to know.

"Because no-one but the princes know why the king married someone like me," she continued, "Everyone assumed it was because I had either seduced him, or he had fallen deeply in love with me. They think I hold much sway over him." She looked down and shook her head. "Her Grace the Queen Mother among them."

"What happened?' he asked again, dread coiling in his gut. "Has she threatened you?"

"No," Soo said. "You truly don't know, Your Highness?" she asked, a note of pleading in her voice, and her liquid, doe-like eyes searching his face for something.

"Know about what?" Jung asked, truly confused. 'What has Mother done to Soo?'

Soo took in a breath. "She wants me to convince the king that her plans to make you heir to the throne are beneficial," she said, and the bottom to Jung's world fell away.

He stared at her, and when he finally managed to speak, his voice was hoarse. "Mother… She said what?" He felt as if he had been slapped in the face, seeing the hand swinging back and speeding towards his face for years now – but the slap hurt no less when it connected. "I- What- Who-" He looked around, a hysterical laugh bubbling up in his throat. "Is she _mad_? I can _embroider_ better than I can govern! This is- What-" And with the growing sadness on Soo's face, it finally dawned on him. "…It won't be me who's governing, will it?"

It hurt, it really did. _That_ was who his mother was. Ready to use anyone at her disposal, even her sons; _especially_ her sons. Just because he thought he was immune from Queen Yoo's ambition, thought that he was the one beloved son who was fourteenth in line; didn't mean he was. She had thrown So aside, groomed Yo to be the king, and he had heard stories of his brother Tae, the dead brother he could remember nothing of. The son Queen Yoo threw aside because he had no drive or desire for power. He was naïve to think that she would not do the same to him.

It hit Jung like a blow to the gut. He'd thought he was different. That Yo was strong, that So had done something to displease Mother, and that he was just a boy, her beloved golden son, a child who could do no harm and who she would love unconditionally. She had never involved him in politics, and he was glad for it, because he thought that she was just taking his feelings into consideration. But she was just saving him for later, softening him up to her influence. He was a man grown now, and it was time to face the truth.

The tears that came to his eyes were immediately blinked away in the concerned presence of Soo, of which he became aware because of the gentle hand on his arm. "Your Highness?" she asked softly.

He squared his jaw and offered her a tight smile. "I'll be alright," he said.

"I'm sorry," Soo said, biting her lip and tears coming to her own eyes. "I-I thought it would be better if you knew…"

"I'm glad you told me," he said, feeling as if someone else was saying the words with his mouth. "It is better from the mouth of a friend than finding out the hard way. I'm fine, Soo. Don't worry. Please."

Her hand left his arm, and he felt the absence of her warm fingertips through his sleeve like a physical ache. He wanted nothing more than to fall into her arms and hold him to herself while he let himself cry, but he chastised himself for the ridiculous idea, and swallowed down any feeling that would threaten to engulf him. Soo breathed out slowly and they began to walk up to the main palace in silence.

"What are you going to do?" Jung asked. "Will you tell Br- His Majesty?"

She bit her lip and looked down. "I want to warn him, but…"

"But what?" Jung asked.

"What will he do to you, if he knows? If he thinks you're a threat to his rule-"

"We are _brothers_ ," Jung said. "He will not-"

"The eighth prince was his brother also," Soo said quietly, and Jung fell silent again.

They walked further, and Jung looked down at Soo walking beside him, strands of hair coming undone from her elaborate chignon and framing her face. He repressed the urge to tuck them behind her ear, brush them away and draw his thumb over her pale cheeks. He shook his head. "No," he said emphatically. "Tell him. I'm not going to hide from him, because I have nothing to hide. Unless he has gone mad entirely, Yo will know the truth of my lack of ambition for the throne. This will be my gesture of goodwill and support to him." he stopped and faced Soo. "I will go to him myself, now."

"Together, then," Soo said, a note of defeat in her tone, and Jung grinned, heart swelling.

"Come on now, don't sound so glum. Let's eat something after we're done, alright?"


	12. Chapter 12

The queen's procession amassed in front of the palace's main gates, servants being ready to raise the shining palanquin with its silken curtains. Armored guards mounted their horses, court ladies formed three even lines behind the palanquin, and the king stopped to say goodbye to his fourth queen. There were whispers in the palace that Queen Yeon Hwa had fallen gravely ill and wanted to see her hometown, for it was unclear whether she would live or die. Some said that she was poisoned, while others said she had displeased the king and was being sent away to preserve her honor.

There was not even the hint of a whisper of pregnancy, and Yo had to grudgingly admit that Won knew very well what he was doing. He walked forward, and parted the curtains of the palanquin, looking at the woman inside.

Yo had his own suspicions about her, that she was a simple dockside whore, or something of the like that Won had found to play the part of the queen; but she played her part well, and it was all that mattered. What happened to her after she had played it didn't matter either. Her painted face was blank, and she bowed her head. "Your Majesty," she said. "Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Yeon Hwa," Yo said, loudly enough to be heard, but not loudly enough to be theatrical, and then ducked out, letting the curtains fall.

Depending on Won was dangerous, but it was all he could do, and both of them knew it. He had been backed into a corner, and Won had been the only way out. Yo was not a fool, Won had a plan. But he was exhausted from lack of sleep, an aching head from much concentration and reeling from the wine he had drunk to try and force himself to sleep. The wine hadn't worked, and now he had a care in his step that wasn't present normally and an over-sharpness to his speech to mask the effect of the wine.

That morning, before the sun had even risen, six men and two women had left the palace on horseback, bearing the sigil of a minor branch of the Kangs. Five men were simple guards with spears slung over their backs, one woman wore the simple clothing of a maidservant. One man wore armor over the clothing of a low-ranked merchant-lord, and one woman matching. They rode in the direction of Pyeongsan, avoiding the main roads, but not taking the back ways either, riding mostly through the countryside.

Won had smiled and said Yeon Hwa would be perfectly safe with him, and that he would take very good care of her. Yo had drawn his dagger, pointing it at Won's armored chest. "Don't make me regret trusting you," he growled.

"Oh, Your Majesty," Won had said, spreading his arms and ignoring the scrape of Yo's dagger point against his chest-plate. " _Do_ you trust me?"

"No," Yo snapped. "I would be a fool to."

Then Won had laughed, looked over at Yeon Hwa, being helped onto her horse by a guard, and smiled softly. "I will give a solemn vow to Your Majesty that she will be safe. My holdings are small, my estate is not a fortress, but out of anywhere in Goryeo, it is the safest for Yeon Hwa." He smiled craftily, leaning forward. "Or, rather, my distant poor cousin from the capital, Ji Na. A lovely girl. Pity she is so shy."

"I will have you executed if anything happens," Yo promised, and Won had smiled at him, bowed low and mounted his horse. Yeon Hwa rode across the near-empty yard to face him, and looked down. She bowed her head. Yo looked up at her and saw once again why he had fondness for her at one point. "Stay well," he said quietly.

Yeon Hwa's lips curved. "I will, Your Majesty. I will return with your son."

"Do you know that it is a son?" Yo asked, eyebrows rising.

She lay a hand on her belly, its curve barely noticeable even when she wore nothing. "I can feel it. It is a boy, Your Majesty."

A slight smile, and he nodded. "Good," he said, then turned and walked away, back into the palace.

He rubbed his temples to assuage the ache building behind them as he walked to his chambers. Perhaps another cup of wine would see him through, though, he supposed that if he got any drunker, someone would be bound to notice. Enemies. Enemies everywhere. Pyeongsan was neutral, half the Parks choosing to stay loyally nonaligned, and the other half amassing behind Park Sul Hui. The bitter, honorable Kims remained bitter and honorable, Wang Shik Ryeom was too busy dealing with conflict up in the West; there, the Hubaekje rebellion had never cooled since Taejo's days.

Here, in the palace, where the walls had ears and even his own mother seemed to be against him, he wished for a battlefield where at least you knew that the man with the different sigil from yourself was going to kill you, and the one with the same sigil wouldn't. He wanted to distract himself, do something that would take him away from the amassing headache of politics and plotting. He was too drunk for archery and too sober for anything else.

But when he arrived at his quarters, he saw an out-of-breath Soo and a stoic-looking Jung standing at his doors, and he mentally cursed them both, throwing them a dark look. "What do _you_ two want?" he snapped. Not waiting for an answer, he glared at the servant standing beside them. "Bring me wine!" Drunkenness be damned – today he didn't care.

Soo bowed and Jung offered what could have generously been called a deep nod. "We have something we wish to speak of with Your Majesty," Soo said.

"It's important," Jung added.

Yo rolled his eyes. "It better be." He threw himself down into his chair with a sigh, pulling the pin from his tightly tied hair and letting it fall to his shoulders. He winced and rubbed his temples further, then glared down the table at his wife and younger brother. A court maid entered, bearing wine and three cups. She set the tray down on the table, but Yo waved her away and poured his own wine. "Tell me," he commanded.

Jung and Soo exchanged looks, and then, in a quiet voice, Soo began to tell of his mother's plan to make Soo convince him to instate Jung as his heir. She spoke only in statements, offering no evaluation of the situation; simply describing the conversations she had with Queen Yoo. When she finished, Jung and Soo looked at each other again, and then at Yo, waiting for something.

'An emotional breakdown? Rage? What?' That was what his mother did. Set brother against brother, king against prince, lords against kings, all in a desperate bid to claim more power for herself. He almost laughed. Oh, it _hurt_. It hurt badly. But he had seen this coming for a long, long time – and ultimately, it had been his choice. Be a powerful king, or be under his mother's influence. And he chose power. He would always choose power over whatever plans people had for him, whatever expectations they had of him. He would rule Goryeo. Yo remained silent emptying his wine cup before pouring himself more.

Soo's voice quivered slightly as she spoke. "What will your Majesty do?"

Yo smirked at her, meeting her eyes. "What I always do, little wife. What most benefits me. In this case, probably sleep after getting roaring drunk." He drank again, the warmth seeping into him. They sat in silence for a while, until Yo looked at Soo. "Who _should_ I make my heir?" he asked her.

She froze, and Jung beside her. "Your Majesty… I know nothing of such things."

"Humor me."

"Ah…" She seemed at a loss. "Your Majesty has a son, right?" she asked

Jung nodded and Soo looked relieved. "Grand Prince Gyungchunwon," the fourteenth prince filled out for her.

Yo sighed. "All of four years old, and sickly."

"Your Majesty has other brothers?"

"Besides So and Jung, one," Yo said. "He was fostered over to Qing nine years ago."

"And, sisters… Two, right?" Soo paused. "Are women allowed to rule?"

With amusement, he shrugged. "They _were_ in Silla. It doesn't specifically say anywhere they _can't_ , I suppose, but it would be difficult for her."

Soo bit her lip. "And you can't pick someone to be Your Majesty's heir?"

Yo sighed. "I am not planning on losing the throne, in dying or stepping down for a very, very long time," he said honestly. "Naming an heir now, just when Mother wants Jung to be my successor… If I name him as my successor soon, she will move against me – bringing Jung to the throne to be a puppet king, just as Moo was. If I make my son my heir now – she will see my defiance, and the little prince will be dead within a fortnight – same for any of my other brothers or sisters." He gritted his teeth and felt the need to punch something. "She has me cornered, and if you two hadn't inexplicably decided to warn me – I wouldn't even know until it was too late."

"Oh…" Soo said quietly.

"I won't go along with it," Jung said stubbornly, squaring his jaw. "No matter what she says or does. I don't want the throne. I don't want the kingdom. I was never meant to be a king."

Yo leaned back in his chair, setting his empty cup down on the table and tracing the rim with a fingertip as he sunk deep into thought. "…Mother always intended for me to be king after Father, ever since I was born. Tae was always sickly and scholarly, no ambition, no strength. His 'greatness' was not so great as she had planned."

Jung and Soo both looked as if they were listening intently, concern in both their eyes. Yo wasn't sure if the concern was for him or for themselves, but either way, he hated it. 'These two soft, unambitious idiots… They're perfect for each other,' he thought bitterly. He continued to speak, however, the wine both loosening his tongue and making him reminiscent. He _wanted_ to speak; not trying to explain himself out of guilt or shame, but rather to put what he had thought all along into words.

"'Yo' – I am named after a legendary emperor, one that was wise and strong. I would become her king, then. But by that point, Father had named Moo his Crown Prince. I would become what she wanted me to become, and take the throne, by force if I had to. I _tried_." It felt strange to speak out loud about it, but Soo listened silently, Jung also, and he continued to speak because he wondered how both of them would take it, how they would understand. "So is 'clarity'. She scarred him and discarded him – and I…" He sighed, drinking. "I knew that if I did not please her, I would face the same fate."

He spoke quietly and dispassionately, but she still reacted with such feeling, tears gathering in her large eyes.

"Jung is 'pure, chaste'. She had two failures and a future emperor, now she had a child that was pure and lovable – one that she could care for and play at being a mother with. You were always her favorite, I think." He fixed his eyes on the point between Soo and the wall, forcing his voice into evenness. "When a perfectly honed sword does not go where its' wielder wants it to, it is unusable and needs to be thrown away," he said, he stood, turning away, folding his arms behind his back and staring out of the window, unseeing, "Another is to take its' place." He collected himself for a moment and turned back, taking his cup from the table and raised an eyebrow at Jung, taking a sip. "And what do you think of Mother's glorious plan?" he asked mildly.

Jung rose, a determined light in his eyes. "Before you are a king, you are my brother," he said. "We have grown together, laughed together, trained together. You've taught me a lot. No matter what you do on the throne, you will be my brother, and I cannot betray you. We have the same blood running through our veins." He inhaled through his nose and met Yo's eyes. "You are the king of Goryeo, and I owe my loyalty and my allegiance to you." He dropped to one knee in front of Yo, his head bowed. "I want nothing of the throne, have never wanted it."

If Yo said he wasn't a little bit touched, he would be lying. However, he almost laughed at the affected grandeur of Jung's speech and at the wide-eyed look on Soo's face. He began slowly to clap, and when Jung looked up, startled, he began to laugh. "You have quite a knack," he said, taking a sip of wine, "For making grandiose statements. Maybe I should make you write speeches for me." He smirked. "So be it. I will hold you to that oath when the time comes, Jung." He laughed, shaking his head. "But really, I've always known that you are about as ambitious as Soo. Rise, brother."

Unsure, Jung stood, looking over at Soo, and then back to Yo. "Thank you," he said.

Yo raised his eyebrows, then smirked. "Don't be an idiot."

Jung sniffed and impulsively gripped Yo's hand. It wasn't a hug, but it was as close as Jung would come to one. Yo was king now, and it put an immeasurable rift between him and the rest of the world. Besides, he'd killed Wook in full sight of his youngest brother. That alone would have divided them greatly.

Still sitting at the table, Soo smiled, and Yo met her eyes over Jung's shoulder as the fourteenth prince drew back. The realization hit him. This was because of Soo. It was because of Soo that Jung hadn't completely alienated himself from Yo, even after he'd killed Wook. He shook his head and began to laugh, dropping into his chair and covering his face, laughing until he could not breathe, and then bending in half and laughing some more. "You're both ridiculous," he rasped, grapping for his wine cup. "Absolutely ridiculous."

Soo and Jung looked concerned again, exchanging glances that they thought he couldn't see. Yo rolled his eyes. "I'm drunk, not mad," he said, annoyance in his tone. He took another sip and fixed his eyes on the golden rings on his fingers. "And tomorrow, I'm going to remind Mother that I am king."

After they left, his wife and his brother, Yo returned to drinking, swirling the wine around in his cup and watching the room's reflection waver and distort. He took a sip. The wine barely tasted like anything at this point, and he set the bottle aside, leaning heavily back in his chair with a sigh.

Jung was seven years younger than he. When the boy had been born, Yo had been fascinated by the way his younger brother's tiny fists curled around anything that touched his palm, and the wispy tufts of hair that grew on his head. Small children, newborns and the like – they were so odd-looking, so fragile; it was a wonder they grew into actual _people_. When Yo was three, So had been born, but he remembered nothing of his fourth brother as a baby. Only a lot of high-pitched screaming, which Jung replicated.

When Yo was ten, So was scarred and sent away to Shinju. Jung was three at the time, and he remembered listening solemnly to his mother telling him that So was no longer a part of his family. Jung didn't understand a thing. Honestly, neither did Yo at the time. He had never been close to So and he took the news with some confusion.

 _"How is he not a part of our family anymore? Has he done someth-"_

 _"He is Lady Kang's son now," his mother spat. "_ She _can deal with him."_

Ten-year-old Yo took this in stride, and never mentioned So again, taking on his mother's hatred for his brother, because it was what he was supposed to do. Jung, however, was something else entirely. When Yo was fourteen, seven-year old Jung had begun to pester him during his morning swordsmanship practice. Yo remembered the sun rising as he took a wooden practice sword into his hands, and the breeze blowing through the tall grass on the hills by the third queen's summer palace.

 _"I wanna do it!" the little prince had cried petulantly, small hands reaching eagerly for the pile of wooden practice swords._

 _Yo looked critically down at him. "Aren't you too little?" he asked._

 _Jung looked positively murderous. "I'm_ not _little!" he said huffily; finally grabbing the practice sword with one hand and holding it aloft. His small arm shook with the effort of holding it, and he gripped it two-handed, glaring determinedly up at Yo._

 _"No?" Yo was amused now. He leaned down, hands on his knees. "Alright then, do as I do." He went through a simple set of forms, watching Jung thrash about from the corner of his eye. As he finished, Jung tried to copy a flowing movement, tripped, flailed – and hit Yo squarely on the back of the knee._

 _Surprised, Yo went down, sitting down hard in the grass with an undignified squawk. "You little-" he began to hiss, but cut himself off when he saw Jung's eyes light up with pure joy._

 _"I did it! I did it!" he squealed. "I'll be the best swordsman in all Goryeo! Even better than you!" He dropped the practice sword and spun around, jumping energetically up and down._

 _Yo pressed his lips together, watching his little brother, then slowly, laughter bubbled up inside him, soon overwhelming him. He doubled over, clutching his middle, tears coming to his eyes. Soon, Jung flopped down beside him and began laughing too, kicking his little legs._

Letting out a loud sigh, Yo downed the contents of his cup, then decided to give up completely on the cup and drink directly from the bottle. Those had been good days. Sometimes, Yo wondered if he had never been angled for the throne. Would he have been happy and oblivious, a different man entirely? Probably not. The throne was his destiny. This kingdom was _his_ and would be his, come hell or high water.

There was a tap on the door. "A message for His Majesty," someone said in a low voice.

"Send him in," Yo said, trying and failing not to slur.

"His Highness the fourth prince is en route from Seokyeong," the messenger said, bowing low and not coming up until Yo slowly nodded.

"Good, good," the king said absentmindedly. "He'll arrive tomorrow, then, I suppose."

The messenger bowed lower. "It would seem so, Your Majesty."


	13. Chapter 13

At dinner, it seemed that Yo would keep his earlier promise of getting roaring drunk and falling asleep. Soo entered his quarters as she always did in the evening but found that when she sat down at the table, Yo was slumped by his bed, papers strewn around him, hair unbound and clothes rumpled as if he had been laying down right there on the floor. He was not asleep; he looked up at her blearily when she entered the room and waved a hand at her. "Just eat," he muttered. "I already did."

Soo obeyed, watching him curiously as she did. It seemed as if he was much more inebriated than she had thought, his eyelids falling low and his movements clumsy. Yo sifted through the crinkling papers, and she realized they were all maps of Goryeo, some of them copies of old maps and others very recent. There was also a book, and when Yo closed it she glimpsed the title; 'Noble Houses of Goryeo'. She poured herself tea and took a sip, watching him over the rim of her cup.

Yo looked over at her. "Did you know that House Park and House Ryu share ties to the noble Houses of old Silla?" he asked. "Or that House Ham have held Yanggeun for over seven hundred years?"

"No, Your Majesty, I didn't know that," Soo said. 'I wonder what on earth he's doing…'

"I didn't either," Yo said. He sighed and put aside the map he was holding "Come," he said, "Sit."

Again, Soo obeyed, but not without raising her eyebrows. "What is it?"

Yo lay a sheep of paper in her lap. "A list of all my enemies," he said with satisfaction, slurred something about 'damned greedy nobles', then closed his eyes and threw his head back against the edge of the bed.

Soo began from the top and began to read quietly out loud. "House Park. Park Sul Hui. House Ryu if Won didn't scare them enough. House Kim, if I get weak. House Lim. House Oh. House-…" she trailed off, unable to read his handwriting for the rest of the list. "It's very long, Your Majesty," she opted to say, folding it back up and putting it down next to Yo.

"I'm tired," Yo said quietly. "Very tired. And nothing is going the way I want it to go. Moo was running this country into the ground and now, I'm… What am I doing, anyway?" He cracked an eye open, lifting a hand and pointing a finger at her, then poking her arm with it drunkenly. "You know why I'm telling my doubts to you?"

"No, Your Majesty," Soo said.

Yo smirked. "Because you're one of the only people who is foolish enough not to use them against me." He shifted to face her. "Look at me."

She looked.

"I sent Yeon Hwa away today," he said.

"I saw the procession," Soo said.

"And you know why," Yo said. He looked at her with a crafty expression. "But I did something else… That procession wasn't for Yeon Hwa. I don't even know the name of the woman in the palanquin. What I _do_ know is that Yeon Hwa is riding east with Won – to hide in his mansion until I figure out what to do or Won betrays me." He snorted, shaking his head. "Look at me," he said. "Pathetic."

Soo's eyes widened. "Is that wise, Your Majesty?"

"The only thing I could do, Hae Soo – Park Sul Hui tried to have her poisoned," he muttered.

"Why are you telling me this, Your Majesty?" Soo asked.

"No idea," Yo said dismissively, then made a face. "You know," he said, waving a vague hand, "I've never heard you sing. I once heard from someone, can't remember who, that you sang better than a gisaeng."

Soo snorted. "The ninth prince," she said dryly.

"I won't drag myself to a gyobang in this condition," Yo muttered, then smirked at her. He turned, then lay back, head in her lap. Soo, surprised, made no movement but raising her arms up and opening her mouth slightly. Just as she was about to say, 'Ex _cuse_ me?!' Yo shut his bleary eyes and let out a breath. "Don't flatter yourself. Your moderate attractiveness has nothing to do with it." He waved a hand. "Sing for me," he commanded. "It's a royal order."

Soo slowly lowered her hands, with which she suddenly had no idea what to do. She opted to have them loosely by her sides as she wracked her brains for something to sing. In the end, the only thing that came to mind was the song for the tenth prince, the song Baek Ah had sung at her wedding.

 _"Days pass by painfully, in the stillness of the day and wind. Because I like the sunshine, I smile."_

Yo's lips twitched into something resembling a smile, and his breath evened out. she could smell the wine on him and the mint.

 _"Passing by so busily, even among those heartless people. Because I like my friend, I smile."_

This strange person, this king who enjoyed causing suffering and pain, this bloodthirsty, intelligent person who had a sense of humor even _she_ could understand despite its' dry, sour edge; who criticized her snowman for not having arms, who pointed a dagger at her in the dark madness in his frightened eyes, who shot his brother in front of her, who sent the man she loved away, who taught her things about archery and politics – she didn't understand him at all, though she thought she had.

" _…If I find a place without loneliness, come with me to that place. Let us go together, friend…_

No, she did not hate him, she decided. If anything, she felt a strange sort of affection for him – one that came with the sharing of truth and weakness. It seemed ridiculous to think about, to think that she did not hate Wang Yo – but there it was. If anything, if she had come to know him in any circumstance but the one now, she may have liked his witty sarcasm and utter ease and confidence in everything he did. He had charisma – and if he was someone she had known in college or the older brother of one of her friends; she would have been able to get somewhat along with him, despite the inordinate amount of frustration he caused her.

But she was in Goryeo, he was a king and she his queen and hostage. He was ruthless and immoral. Yet she did not hate him.

 _"My friend… …Thank you for being you_ -"

"Damn it, what am I doing?"

Soo stopped singing at Yo's sudden exclamation. The king shot up into a sitting position and put his head in his hands. "Now I have a headache," he muttered. "Leave me."

Soo rose, utterly confused. "Yes, Your Majesty."

As she was opening the door, Yo's voice stopped her again. "How badly do you want So to come back?" he called. "Tell me honestly."

Soo froze. So. The man she loved. The man she lied to, and who abandoned her when she needed him most. She had spent the past years wishing for him to come back, until she completely forgot why they had parted, and it all came rushing back to her. And her voice shook as she lied, "Very much." She did not turn but she lowered her head. "Good night, Your Majesty. Please sleep well."

/

It seemed to So that the king was falling apart at the seams. Yo looked terrible. His face was drawn and pale, there were shadows under his eyes, and his hair escaped its topknot. Even from across the room where So stood, he could smell the mint on him. "What do you mean, construction has been delayed?" he spat, slamming his hand down onto the table. "Are you out of your _mind_?! It should have been finished by now!"

So's face remained impassive, and he clasped his hands in front of himself, lowering his head and voice into an appearance of subservience. "There was a hard winter, Your Majesty, and winter is coming soon, again. There are not enough men, and the-"

The king looked as if he might throw his teacup at So, then put it down with what seemed like extreme strength of effort. " _Don't_ give me your excuses, Wolf-dog," he hissed, rising and slowly making his way across the room towards So. "Work the slaves until they all drop dead – I don't care!" he roared. "Get the fucking fortress built, one way or another!" Yo took a breath in through his nose and closed his eyes, as if to calm himself. "That," he said opening his eyes and speaking in a forcedly calm voice, "Is a royal order."

Watching him warily, So expected a blow, or at least more shouting. Yo did neither. He did worse.

"Perhaps you need a reminder, So," Yo gritted out, breathing heavily through his teeth, forcing his face into something that was not a smile. "Don't forget I have the Hae girl."

Despite everything, despite all the strength he had gathered around himself for the years he was gone from the capital, So looked up. Yo's eyes were full of madness, and his hands shook. He cursed himself for the slip-up and tried to quickly cover it up. With smooth evenness, So shrugged. "You have her," he said. "Your lady wife is none of my concern, Your Majesty."

Yo let out a bark of laughter. "You're good, but you're not good enough," he said, shaking his head. "Perhaps a test? How concerned _are_ you with her, really?"

So's heart turned to ice and he could not move, as Yo opened his doors and waved a servant over, saying something in an undertone. In less than a minute, without turning his back, So knew that Soo was coming, her footsteps sounding across the hallway's wooden floorboards, her skirts rustling. Straining with the effort not to turn around, not to show even a little of his feeling, So shut his eyes as he heard her footsteps falter and stop in the doorway of the king's chambers. She saw him, So knew. He silently begged her not to make this more difficult.

He heard Yo's laugh. "Ah, little wife. Glad you could join us."

Soo's voice shook. "Y-Your Majesty? What-"

"Didn't you want to see him?" Yo said, laughing again. "Here he is! Here he is, forgetting who he is and what I have, and who I _am_." Through his teeth, Yo finished. "I will remind him." So opened his eyes as Yo approached him, still not turning to look at Soo.

A deep hatred pulsed beneath his skin, filling him with the thick, dark fire of the wolf-anger, but his eyes were chips of cold, unfeeling ice as he looked back at the king.

"Turn around," Yo commanded, smirking.

Unable to disobey a direct order, So turned.

She was just as he remembered her, unchanged in the past two and a half years, as breathtakingly beautiful as always, filled with a radiance he had seen nowhere else in his life. Her hair was only half-done, her rich robes seeming to float around her, those wide, liquid eyes fixed on him; filled with fear. Of him? So wanted to throw himself at her feet and weep, swear never to leave her again, to always protect her, to-

"There she is, wolf-dog."

He stayed perfectly still, jaw tight, eyes impassive as Soo took a shuddering breath in, tears rising in her eyes, Yo still smiling that mad smile. She cast him a pleading look, and he did not even acknowledge it. His heart fluttered in his chest like a caged and dying bird. Soo looked away from him and at the king, the plea in her eyes palpable.

Yo stepped closer to _his_ Soo, standing behind her, placing a hand on the side of her waist, other hand lifting a strand of her silky black hair and running it through his golden-ringed fingers. "Don't do anything _she_ will regret," he said quietly. " _Obey_ , dog."

She looked as brittle and fragile as cut glass, an elegant statue with crystal tears in her eyes that did not roll down her smooth, white cheeks. He did not even wish to think of what she must live through every day, stuck in the palace with a monster for a husband.

So's fingers itched to reach for his dagger and drive it through Yo's chest, but he held himself back, carved in stone and waiting for the nightmare to be over. Yo looked at him, then stepped away from Soo and sighed. "Leave tomorrow. Build the fortress. You're dismissed," he said shortly, waving a dismissive hand at So and ribbing his forehead. "Not you, little wife. You stay."

"As you command, Your Majesty," So said in his unquivering voice and gathered the remaining strength left in his body to walk past her without looking back even once, though he wished he could spend a thousand years just looking. As the doors shut behind him, So sank down, back against the wall, face in his hands. How could he go through with this, how could he have thought, even for a moment that Yo would forget about Soo – that every movement So made would be a danger. No matter how indifferent he forced himself to appear, she was still _there_.

He could hear them, though the wall, he realized, and he did not move from his spot on the floor where he crouched.

/

Soo was furious, rage filling her entirely. "Your Majesty!" she snapped through her teeth, rubbing angry tears from her eyes. "How _could_ you?"

Yo whirled on her, golden robes in disarray and face looking grayer with exhaustion, every passing moment. "How _could_ I?" he threw incredulously back at her." Have you forgotten who I _am_?" he snapped. "I'm not a kind man, Hae Soo – I've never pretended to be one!"

Suddenly, he was upon her, whirling her against the wall and she let out a small gasp of surprise. "Wha-"

" _Look_ at me," he commanded, bracing himself on the wall with his hand. "I kill. I _enjoy_ it."

'And they haunt you, Your Majesty,' she thought.

"I want to see all those who are foolish enough to stand against me suffer agony like they have never imagined – and I will make that want a reality."

'You have the power to, Your Majesty,' she thought, but did not say out loud.

"I see you, not losing faith, pretending you're better than everyone else because you're too _foolish_ to see how rotten this world is, how rotten _people_ are! I see truth, Soo. You cannot soften me as you did So – you _never_ will."

'I'm not trying to, Your Majesty. Do I truly have that much influence over you?' she wanted to ask.

" _Look_ at me!"

She looked up at him, her eyes already dry, lips pressed together in a determined line. She saw him; all of him. The parts that were cruel and harsh, the weak parts he tried to hide away, the tired parts that threatened to overwhelm him – and something more. The _potential_ – the barest hint of something else that he'd shown her before, unintentionally. "I see you," she said softly. "I _see_ you, Your Majesty. _All_ of you."

He stared at her, and she could see that she had unbalanced him, and he lowered his head jerkily, hair falling into his eyes. "You're my _hostage_ , damn it, woman – don't make it more difficult for yourself than it already is," he grumbled.

"It's not me it is difficult for, Your Majesty."

Yo gave her a flat look. "…You know," he said after a pause, sighing, "I have a horrible headache from the excess of wine last night. So is failing me in every way possible. My own mother is plotting against me. _You're_ saying cryptic things that I don't want to hear right now, and looking at me with those… Those _eyes_ – and _yes_ – I'm having a rather difficult time of it all. Imagine that, woman," he said dryly. He shook his head and stepped away, leaving Soo free.

"If His Highness continues to fail you, will you kill me?" Soo asked quietly, with no inflection.

Yo's look at her was now more annoyed than anything. "You think I wouldn't?" he retorted, answering a question with a question. "Just because we tolerate each other's company doesn't mean I would hesitate for more than a moment," he grumbled.

"You _would_ hesitate, then?"

"Would you shut _up_?!" he snapped. There was anger in his tone, but his eyes said something else entirely, and for a moment, Soo was lost for words. Yo took it as a direct interpretation of his order and sank down into his chair with a sigh, rubbing his forehead. "I can understand what you two have in common now, you and the Wolf-dog," Yo muttered. "You both make my head hurt."

/

On the other side of the wall, So struggled to breathe.


	14. Chapter 14

Before Soo could leave the king's quarters and see him listening through the wall, So almost leapt up and ran away, a headache building in his own head. He stumbled outside into the too-bright sunlight, pushing past everyone in his way until he finally found himself in the tranquility of the gardens and threw himself into the shade of a tree, teeth gritting with rage, hands curing into fists, nails digging into his palms.

 _"I see you, Your Majesty._ All _of you,"_ Soo had said to Yo with that gentle, strong tone that she had always used with him. _"Tell me why you killed those men,"_ he remembered her saying on a dark night, many years ago. Her voice was the same.

 _"-…Looking at me with those… Those_ eyes _-…"_ Yo had snapped, and So knew exactly what eyes he spoke of. He thought he had been the only one to see them.

It couldn't be true. It _couldn't_. He was a monster, she was- He cut himself off. 'You've been gone for years now,' he told himself. 'As far as she knows, you've abandoned her.' The realization hit him like a spear in the gut; _he had no claim to her!_

Soo was his person.

No longer.

He covered his face with his hands, trying to think, to calm himself. Perhaps he had read too much into their interaction, he tried to tell himself. Soo was kind to everyone, even if they did not deserve it; full of genuineness even to the falsest of people. She answered brutality with gentleness. He wouldn't call her naïve, but she was _open_. Would it be her downfall? Yo was not a man to be trifled with.

So had to do something. If, indeed, Yo had fallen for Soo, for _his person-_ He took a calming breath. So could use that. And then when he liberated Soo from her captor, no matter what it took, they would be happy together.

He had to keep an aloof appearance to keep her safe, he had to think clearly and coldly – and above all, never to put her in any danger from his actions. He took in a deep breath and straightened his shoulders, raking his hair back from his face, forcing calm into the ramrod-straightness of his spine. He had to think, and he had to act. That was all. For her, for himself, for the future with both of them in it – he would do anything. He stepped out onto the path.

Just as he readied himself to turn back, perhaps drink tea and visit Baek Ah, he heard steps up the flagstone path behind him, and turned.

Jung walked slowly, looking worn-out and tired from training, the front of his tunic loosely open, and a sword at his belt. He must have been training. There was something odd about him, perhaps slightly more dignified. Jung's eyes hardened when he saw that it was So standing in his path.

So saw with surprise that his once-childishly carefree younger brother walked like a warrior, sword at his side, the lines of his face harsher; but he could not understand the animosity with which his fourteenth brother beheld him. "Hello, Jung," he said with an attempt at a smile. "What have I missed?"

"Very little," Jung said shortly, and it seemed to So that there was even further fury in his eyes than before. "How have _you_ been?"

So winced. "Building a fortress in the frozen North. Well, officially, it's the West – but it's so cold there that-" he began, lightly.

"Why are you back?" Jung asked flatly, stepping closer, hand resting on the pommel of his sword.

"You seem unhappy to see me," So said wryly.

Jung raised both of his eyebrows. "You are surprised?" he asked.

"Not that I'm not used to it, but, yes – a little," So admitted.

It seemed So's continuing flippancy brought Jung to a point where he could no longer pretend to be civil. "You _abandoned_ her," Jung spat, fire in his eyes.

Now it was So's turn to raise his eyebrows, a disbelieving laugh escaping his mouth. "Don't talk about what you don't know, little brother," he growled warningly, stepping closer to Jung. "Be careful."

"I may not know what you said to her," Jung said quietly, "But I know that for two years, she watched from the wall-tops every _day_ , waiting for you to come back. I know you sent no answer to her letters. Not a single word. I know that Baek Ah wouldn't stop worrying about her for a _reason_. I know that while I was away _fighting_ in Khitan, she did her best with everything. She has so much strength in her, So," Jung said, shaking his head, voice tense with suppressed emotion. "And yet even now all her smiles are pale and sad."

The anger rose in him again, because everything the boy was saying was _wrong_ – yet so right. "I don't believe this." So stepped away, laughing and shaking his head. " _You're_ in love with her now, too?"

Jung drew himself up, but his façade cracked and So saw that boy again in him. "E-even if I _was_ , that has nothing to do with anything," Jung said quickly. His gaze hardened again. "I promised to protect her-"

" _What did you say_?" he growled. This was too much. All he had done, he had done to protect her. He had been gone for two years and he came back to this. Now, Soo was drawing Yo in, and it seemed he took her simple kindnesses for something else entirely. Now, Jung acted like her _protector_ , rather than the jumped-up boy he truly was. Now, in So's body, a fire was starting, his muscles tightening and his eyes sharpening with the wolf-anger. His tight hand instinctively inched towards his sword's hilt at his side – where no sword was. " _Protect_ her?" So snapped. He laughed again, but with anger, barely even thinking. How dare this- This _boy_ question him? What had _Jung_ ever done? For Soo or for anyone else? "Where were you when Yo took her as his bride? Where were you for the past _two_ years while she's been alone, trapped with that-"

"Oh, yes – and where were _you_? Don't blame me for not stopping the wedding when there was nothing _any_ of us could have done," Jung growled. "I always tried to do my best by her – which is more than I could say for you!"

He wanted to cut him where it hurt, to show him that he was not someone to trifle with – that they were not equals in neither experience nor wits. So opened his mouth to snap something back, but Jung stepped forward, still talking.

"I spent two years fighting for my life in Khitan, fighting for Goryeo, protecting the border – while you sat among the stones in Seokyeong, deserting her entirely because she tried to protect _our_ brother! _Our_ brother by blood – who you hunted like an animal and killed right in front of her!" Jung spat. "It's not Yo she needs protecting from – I'd trust him more with her than with _you_ , now!"

Entirely forgetting any retort he had ready, So stepped unconsciously back, eyes widening. "What do you mean?" His voice did not shake, but it was through major effort. Soo's conversation with Yo just a few moments ago flashed through his mind and he stared at Jung.

Jung fell silent, looking So over. "Why don't you ask her?" he said, and his voice shook just a little bit.

The two brothers stared at each other, radiating rage, until So's jaw tightened further, and he brushed past Jung, striding away down the path, the cold calm with which he had planned to leave the gardens entirely gone.

Reconciliation was impossible. Any affection So had ever felt for Jung was leaving him with a flare of rage.

/

"The king and his third wife get along very well, Your Highness. They go on long walks along the wall-tops together, and Lady Hae often observes his archery. They have dinner together almost every night." Here, the court lady exchanged looks with her contemporary, and it was obvious that 'dinner' had different implications, but because of their discretion as court ladies, they could say no more. "Is that what Your Highness wanted to know?"

So's jaw tightened. "I see," he said, voice sounding very far-away as he rose quickly, not even having touched his tea.

That night, as he rested in the guest chambers of the palace, he received a message from the king. He had a week's relief from building, so his return to Seokyeong could be postponed. In the corner of the page, there was the hastily-drawn character for 'eye'.

Once more, So's jaw clenched. He would be watched and tested. Another cruel jape played on him by the king who had already taken so much.

/

Yeon Hwa eyed Won cautiously. He had said very little to her for the entirety of their journey, casting pleasantries and smiles her way, making sure she was comfortable. But there surely was another reason he was taking her to Pyeongsan, and she was determined to find it out. Won never did anything unless it was for personal gain. Yo had been backed into a corner, Yeon Hwa firmly believed that he would not have given her over to Won otherwise.

She had stopped craving salty things, now she craved fruit and vegetables in inordinate amounts – and she would still have to retch into the outhouse in the mornings.

They had almost arrived, and were now resting at a roadside inn, Yeon Hwa making herself comfortable at one of the outside tables, Won sitting sideways in front of her, one of his legs up, dagger glinting as he peeled and sliced an apple for her. She watched him more carefully, eyes narrowing, as if the harder she looked at him, the more of his motives she'd be able to see. Unlikely, that. His smiles often hid more than they revealed, and his eyes were always completely empty.

He glanced up at her with a mild glance, smiling. "You won't be able to, you know," he said with amusement.

Caught off guard, Yeon Hwa blinked. "What?"

"Glare a hole through me," Won clarified. "Believe me – people have tried. It's not worked once." He raised an eyebrow and offered her a slice of apple. "Apple, sister?"

She accepted it, chewing thoughtfully. "Why are you doing this?" she asked finally.

Yeon Hwa couldn't see if his surprise was genuine or not. "You asked for an apple," he said, cocking his head to the side. "Do you not want it anymore?"

"Not about the apple," she snapped. "Are you really taking me to your hometown? What is your plan?" She laid her hand protectively on the softly growing curve of her stomach. "If you harm me or my child, Yo will have your head and mount it above the palace gates!"

Won raised both eyebrows, putting a hand over his heart in what seemed like a gesture of sincere offence and hurt. "You wound me greatly," he said. "Truly, sister, you do." He shook his head with a sigh. "I will not deny, I have done many things you would find despicable, but I would not, upon whatever you think of my honor, harm you or my… Nephew. Yo asked me to take you away from the palace in secret, and I am complying."

"What more?"

"Besides wanting to protect my favorite sister?" Won asked.

Yeon Hwa rolled her eyes, not believing it for a moment. " _Yes_."

Won's lips curled up and he leaned forward. "What do you know about Park Sul Hui?"

Her heart leapt into her throat, but she forced composure into her features. Won was a snake, and he knew much more than she gave him credit for. Park Sul Hui… The man that had first stood behind Moo, then Wook, when Moo began to fall apart. The hand in the shadows, a contemporary of Taejo – and one of the most dangerous men in Goryeo. His stance against House Yoo was obvious. "A little," she said.

"Ah, I thought so," Won said. "But I doubt you know he is the one who wanted you dead."

/

Queen Yoo had always been a little girl. She had never grown up, even as she grew old. She had her toys that she played with, playmates that she pretended with; and when things did not go the way she wanted them to, she would have her tantrums, sometimes effectual, sometimes not. Like a spoiled child, she cared nothing for right and wrong – all that mattered was what she wanted.

"The palace is a tiring place for you. I've made arrangements for your stay in one of the Southern temples by Naju," Yo said, and all hell broke loose.

"How _dare_ you?!" shrieked the Queen Mother.

That voice, that intonation… Yo had to remind himself that he was no longer a scared little boy. He was the king of Goryeo. 'And she made you so…' a treacherous part of him whispered. But he ignored it and coldly looked back into Queen Yoo's flaming eyes. "Rest well, Mother," he said, and turned on his heel.

For two days afterward, in his dreams, he saw the ugly, hateful look in his mother's eyes. The look that had been reserved for So. There, in the odd hours between morning and night, lying awake under the covers, Yo thought for a moment that he sympathized with the Wolf-dog.

But no. That was folly.

/

"Woo Hee has been odd of late," Baek Ah confessed. "She's… Preoccupied with something, but when I ask her what it is, she smiles and tells me it is nothing."

Soo frowned. "Politics in the gyobang?" she suggested.

"Perhaps," said Baek Ah with a sigh. His fingers danced over the strings of his lute, mind preoccupied, eyes staring beyond the garden walls. The tinkling melody wove itself into a cheerful tune, but then he stopped, laying his palm over the strings to silence them entirely. "Even if it is that," he finally said, "The fact that she cannot trust me with it… I feel like she's getting further away from me, Soo."

"Talk to her, then," Soo said. "Tell her how you feel. I'm sure there's a reason, or maybe it's something else. She's had a tough life, Highness. Sometimes, even when things are fine, shadows are cast over your everyday life for no reason." She rubbed her knee absentmindedly. "Don't be too worried yet, okay?"

A shade of a smile answered her. "Okay."

As they separated for the day, Soo decided she would go and visit the astronomer's tower. It was nearing evening, the sun setting over the city, and the sky was cast with a golden orange glow. The palace courtyards were nearing empty, and her footsteps sounded hollow over the flagstones. She took the stairs easily, and when she reached the door, it was opened before her knock.

Choi Ji Mong grinned at her. "Hello, Lady Hae! What a pleasant surprise," he exclaimed loudly.

Soo smiled. "How have the stars been?" she asked.

"Shining, flickering, moving on their set courses in the night sky…" Ji Mong shrugged. "The usual. Cup of tea?"

"Yes, please!"

Ji Mong gave her a gentlemanly hand over a stack of papers strewn over his floor, and knocked some more off the table, where, oddly enough, there were two teacups, waiting. When she sat, Ji Mong poured her a cup. "You are a great friend to so many, Lady Hae. Just recently, I met with the fourteenth and thirteenth princes, both singing your praises on your advice to have cold, sweet tea in the hot months."

"Where we come from, that is not uncommon," she said carefully.

The corner of Ji Mong's mouth lifted. "No," he said.

A silence fell, until Soo broke it. "How do you manage it?" she burst out.

"Manage what?" Ji Mong looked concerned.

"Do you know what will happen in the future? You stand behind His Majesty's throne every day, you let the fourth prince stay here, you talk with the younger princes, and you…-" She trailed off and cut herself short. "I'm so _tired_ of standing in the middle, of being used."

A shadow passed over Ji Mong's face, and he did not say anything for a while. When he finally spoke again, his eyes focused on a spot behind her, eyebrows drawn together. "It is a lesson hard learned."

/

 _There was once a young man, eager to learn the secrets of the universe, echoes of a past life shimmering in the reflection of his eyes as he looked up at the stars._

 _There was a war, and then there wasn't – many people died and many wept for it. But during this, there were two constants. The stars in the heavens, and a prince with a sincere smile._

 _The young man learned to read the stars for clues, clues to answers to a bigger picture, like fragmented puzzle pieces. The prince became a great general and wore a sword by his side where the young man carried a telescope._

 _The prince had always laughed at the young man. "You walk around with your neck bent backwards. Are we pathetic earthly mortals beneath your notice?" he would joke._

 _And the young man would smile._

 _They made their own nameless constellations in the sky, connecting the shining dots so far above them with outstretched fingertips._

 _Those star-filled nights that felt as if they would last forever never did._

 _Over time, the stars showed things, evil things – and the young man, now older did his best to show a path to the prince, a path that would lead him to a happy ending. He showed false signs among the glittering stars to the prince's enemies._

 _Through no fault of his own, the number of the prince's enemies grew and grew – and no infinite number of stars could change his fate, though through the power of desperation and denial, the man flattered himself that he could._

 _"You will be a great king. The greatest of them all."_

 _"Did the stars tell you that?"_

 _"Of course," the man would lie, watching the mirror-image constellations reflected in the prince's eyes._

 _Those flipped-around stars could make a beautiful future with the both of them in it, but no amount of delusion could make them real._

 _The prince became king, and the man grew older; far heavier weights than ever before descending on their shoulders. The man watched the king become someone else; a pale, frightened, ill shadow of himself, fraying around the edges like a washed-out piece of silk. His fate was spelled out obviously in the stars, but the man refused to believe it._

 _Shaking the king would look up at him. "I cannot go on," he would say._

 _"You must," the man would urge him._

 _"The stars?" and a shade of his old smile would cross his gaunt face._

 _"Yes, the stars," the man would lie._

 _But the stars did not lie, and as the man looked down at the dying king, he wanted to erase the sky. The stars shone mockingly bright that night, but the man knew what he must do. He had never been one for action, and it would ill suit him to fight. So he stayed silent, waiting for a moment when he would be given a chance to right things._

 _And maybe when all is right again, that bright-eyed prince would smile down at him from among the stars._

/

When Choi Ji Mong finished and Hae Soo left, So fell out of the astronomer's narrow closet with a cramp in his leg. Wincing, he looked up at his old friend, and tightened his jaw. "You know something."

Ji Mong retreated back into himself, lowering his eyes. "There is someone I think Your Highness would benefit from meeting."


	15. Chapter 15

"There is someone Your Highness would benefit from meeting," Ji Mong had said, and So took it to mean that this person was not someone Yo needed to know about. Hearing Ji Mong's fairy-tale-like allegory from the closet, So had a pretty good idea of Ji Mong's motives. The Court Astronomer was done with simply standing by and filling the silences with the comforting words of an augur. Someone had taken his love away from him, and he wanted revenge.

So could understand that. And he gripped the man's arm, then, looking into his eyes. "I'll do it," he said. "I'll meet him."

Ji Mong's little smile could have meant many things. "Good," he said. "I have faith in you, Highness."

At midnight, So was awake. He cleaned his blades and put a coat of boiled leather mail on under a simple, dark pair of trousers and tunic. He put on a sedge hat that covered his face and slid from the window onto the roof, gripping the eaves and pulling himself up, the only sounds that of fabric rustling against tile. There were people watching him day and night, of that he was sure. But how many of them were Yo's men? How many were Won's? How many were Park Sul Hui's? He wanted to be seen by none of them, so when the guard changed on the wall-tops, he took to the roofs.

He had made many escapades like this at Lady Kang's estate. At night, the stars would remind him of the palace, of sitting on the wall-tops with Ji Mong and Moo as a small child, so full of happiness his heart could burst. Those stolen moments were what he clung to during his time there, between the beatings and death-traps… It was quite odd how rarely people looked up when they were looking for someone.

So's soft leather boots made no sound on the roof's tiles, and in the moonless night, the only light he had to avoid was of the wall-top torches and the lanterns around the more important buildings. At a few minutes past midnight, the east wall's side-gate would be left unguarded during a watch change. He had to hurry.

He leapt from the eaves, landing as lightly as a cat, sharply looking both ways before slipping out of the gate and down the road into the city.

Ji Mong said that he would meet So at Soo's friend's and Baek Ah's lover's gyobang; Woo Hee's. It seemed a bit odd, but the woman was well-connected being the highest-ranking gisaeng in all Goryeo. Besides, if his escapade was discovered, she would say she had not seen him.

When he stepped inside, a woman smiled pleasantly at him, bowing. "Are you Lord Jang?" she asked.

The phrase was the agreed-upon code that Ji Mong had said he would encounter, and so he nodded. "Why not." The agreed-upon response.

She led him up some stairs, past rooms from which the sounds of music, the clinking of cups and laughter could be heard, and more rooms a floor up from which more lascivious sounds could be heard. It was the night of a big party, it seemed. So vaguely remembered something about old Lord Ryu's youngest son being granted a government position… Up yet another flight of stairs, and here is was very quiet, save for the murmur of voices coming from the only occupied room down the hallway.

The woman stopped and bowed, then left him.

So knocked on the door, and Ji Mong's voice answered. "Lord Jang?"

"Sure, why not," So said impatiently.

"Well, come in, come in," Ji Mong said, and So could hear the hint of excitement in his voice.

So entered, sinking down onto a cushion beside Ji Mong. The room was bare except for a drawing of a dancing gisaeng with swords in her hands that So recognized as Baek Ah's work. The only furnishings were three cushions, one occupied by Ji Mong and the other by So, and a round table with a teapot and three teacups.

The third person had not arrived yet, it seemed.

Ji Mong smiled palely. "I wasn't sure you would come," he said.

"I _said_ I would."

Ji Mong shrugged. "The person I want you to meet… Don't be too surprised. There are few people who know of their survival, and less who know their true identity."

"Quit being so damn mysterious," So said, shaking his head with a sideways smile. "I've come this far in being a conspirator against Yo. There's no reason to keep me in the dark anymore."

"I suppose not," Ji Mong said. "Actually-"

"Sorry to keep you waiting," said a woman's familiar, low voice. A gisaeng had entered and was now locking the doors from the inside. "Your patience is appreciated, the party has been hectic."

So's eyes widened. 'What?'

Woo Hee sighed as she sat down across the table from the two men, letting out a tired sigh as she stretched her arms behind herself. "I am glad you are here, Your Highness."

Sharply glancing between Ji Mong and Woo Hee, So frowned. "Explain," he said.

"I'm not really lowborn," Woo Hee said.

"That's a start," So said dryly. "What else?"

Ji Mong sighed. "Highness, calm yourself."

/

When she returned to her rooms that evening, Soo read in bed for an hour, before blowing out the candles and pulling the covers over herself to go to sleep. She lay awake for a while, staring up at the ceiling. So was back in Songak, and he had not wanted to see her at all.

The way they had broken things off… It made her wonder sometimes. Was he truly serious about never wanting to see her again, or was he just trying to protect her from the king's wrath, that if his actions displeased Yo, she would not be used as leverage over him? She wanted to ask him, but she hadn't gotten a chance to see him alone since his arrival.

Sometimes, she realized, it didn't bother her as much that So was getting far away from her. For a long time after Court Lady Oh's death and the period during Moo's reign when things were unstable but sunlit, she had leaned on him, but it was enough. Now, she had learned to lean on herself. Oh, she missed hi, but she did not feel the sort of empty despair she had on the first months after he had left for Seokyeong.

Oddly enough, she remembered Yo's words of that long-ago autumn day. _"You may pine and pine, and he will not come until I call him. Your time would be better spent otherwise."_ And she had. She had read, she had laughed when she could, and she had bantered with one of the most dangerous men in Goryeo.

When he had asked her, _"How badly do you want So to come back? Tell me honestly,"_ – she had lied. She didn't know if she wanted him to come back. He had abandoned her when she needed him most, and he did not answer her letters. After such a long time, was it so wrong of her not to want to see him until she had at least figured out her own feelings on the matter?

 _"Very much,"_ she had said. Why she had lied to the king, she did not know, but it seemed that if she had decided to tell the truth, she would have plunged into a realm of uncertainty that she did not want to face quite yet.

With those uneasy thoughts heavy on her mind, she fell into a troubled sleep.

/

 _Yeon Hwa knew who it was that put her and her child's life in danger. If it was the last thing she would do, she would keep this child alive, and kill Park Sul Hui. The growing baby inside her was something she cared about more than anything ever before. Whenever she thought of it, she was filled with a full, fierce love – and it was not the fact that it was the king's child – it was because it was_ hers _._

 _It seemed Won was hiding something, but when was he not? His smiles to her were gentle, he sat astride his horse with a hand on the handle of the dagger in his belt, and his eyes were distant. He urged them to pick up the pace, as if he was anxious to be on time for something. She did not trust him, but she did not fear him, and she did not particularly hate him._

 _After another half-day of riding through gently rolling hills and flat-land rice fields, they rode up over a swelling hill, and saw the rooftops of Pyeongsan shining in the afternoon sunlight. Pyeongsan was temperate and elegant, surrounded by cliffs on two sides and bordered by the sea. Won's manse had high stone halls, built before the ninth prince's dwelling. Here, a Hubaekje lord had dwelled, but his mansion was burned – yet the walls remained – and a new house was built inside them._

 _The gates creaked open, and Yeon Hwa saw wide gardens, a deep blue pond with a willow tree dipping its hanging branches into the water. The house was not as large as Yeon Hwa had expected it to be, but Won, if anything, was efficient. It was comfortable, light and airy, and Yeon Hwa's assigned chambers were on the top floor, with a little balcony overlooking the willow pond and the ocean._

 _There were books aplenty to read, enough food to eat – and if she was not called 'Your Grace' but 'Milady', it was a small price to pay for the comfort of pure relaxation such as she had not had in weeks. Months. Years? A hot bath eased her muscles, sore from riding, and the silken sheets of the bed had not felt softer. She knew not to trust Won all the way, she knew that there was no place she was safe, she truly knew that this was temporary – when the child came, she would return to court – but it was a rare day of ease._

 _She had almost drifted off to sleep, when a knock to her door roused her slightly. "What is it?" she snapped, expecting a servant._

 _Won stepped in, smiling, dressed in fresh clothes, yet they were plain travelling clothes, and he had on his boots instead of light shoes for the house and city. "You look well, Yeon Hwa," he said._

 _"Where are you going?" she asked._

 _Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Won shook his head, still smiling a little. "Straight to the point, as always."_

 _"And expecting an answer," Yeon Hwa said, crossing her arms._

 _Won's smile faded, and he looked tired for a moment, as he looked up at her with a shadow of doubt in his eyes. "I'm going back to the capital," he said, then affixed another smile. "I am needed there."_

 _Yeon Hwa stiffened. "Why? Is something wrong? Is His Majesty-"_

 _"No, Yo is fine," Won said quickly, making a face. "But he does need all the allies he can get, seeing as he's sent his mother away. She won't let it stand – she'll want to take revenge, to show him who is in charge. Poor Queen Yoo cannot get it into her head that Yo is king now." He gave her a sideways glance. "Are you worried about him?"_

 _"I'm carrying his child. If he is in an unfavorable position, I have no illusions as to what will happen to me. And you are like a rat escaping a sinking boat. Once you sense a leak, you abandon ship. I cannot expect you to stand by Yo's side forever if he begins to slip," Yeon Hwa said through her teeth. It annoyed her, the look in Won's eyes._

 _Won's smile was sardonic and crooked. "You have no shame in expressing how vile you think I am, do you?" he said. "I was not the one who made you kill your brother-"_

 _"I_ didn't _kill him!" Yet her voice shook, and she knew it was more of a semantic difference than a realistic one. It was her fault. Yo may have loosed the arrow, but she had aimed it at Wook. If she dwelled on it, the guilt would eat her alive – so she refused to think of it. How_ dare _Won say that?_

 _Continuing as if she had said nothing, Won's smile widened. "…Then Yo_ married _you – but even then, you are not his favored wife."_

 _"Hae Soo is a bargaining tool," Yeon Hwa snapped._

 _"Is she?" Won asked, leaning in. "Really? So does not return her letters in Seokyeong, Baek Ah is away from court for long periods of time, Jung has attached himself to her, but he's been loyal to Yo all along. You always say you are disillusioned, Yeon Hwa. It seems not."_

 _Yeon Hwa's teeth gritted, and she slapped him, a sharp, ringing hit to his cheek, his head snapping away from her. Breathing hard, she glared at him, gathering her blankets up._

 _Won let out a long breath, accompanied by a strange sound, and when he looked back over at her, his smile was gentle, eyes bearing no trace of the conniving bastard he truly was, as was unusual. He reached out, and his hand rested on the side of her face, thumb stroking over her cheek._

 _Yeon Hwa stiffened._

 _"Things are taken away from you, Yeon Hwa," he said quietly. "Your family was exiled. So did not love you the way you loved him, and he began to hate you when he saw that you were strong. You tried so hard to be the sister of a king, yet you got nothing. Yo had you kill your brother to survive, and then he married you. He favors a useless woman; you are worth one hundred of her. You bear his child, yet when you have it, will it be your son who gains the throne, or Lady Park's little prince? You are losing, Yeon Hwa. You lose things, and you fight so hard to get them back." There was an intensity in his eyes as he gripped her other hand. "Don't fight to get things back, because you can't. Fight tooth and nail to get what you_ want _and more. You won't believe me, I know, but I am on your side, Yeon Hwa –_ your _side alone."_

 _Her breath hitched, and when she could form words, all she managed to say was, "I would be a fool to trust you."_

 _His smile was soft. "And I you. But we both would do anything to get what we want. That's who we are, sister mine." Won rose, leaning over her, and placing a kiss on her forehead. "Rest well," he said, then left, leaving Yeon Hwa to stare after him._

 _After a while, she rose and went to the balcony, and saw a ship leaving the harbor, with Won's insignia on the sails. The breeze picked up her dark hair and her white under-robes, and she thought she could see the little figure of a man standing at the prow._

/

Woo Hee did not smile and bowed slightly. When she looked up, she met his eyes with a sharp, clear gaze and the haughtily tilted head of royalty. "My name is Woo Hee of House Gyeon. My father was the last king of Hubaekje, Gyeon Hwon, who fought until the last to keep Wang Geon from taking his lands and enslaving his people. I am the last surviving heir to the throne of Hubaekje." She calmly reached over and poured tea for all three of them, taking a sip from her own cup. "Your father may have hurt and destroyed many people's lives and livelihoods in the unification of this land, but what he did was a great deed that I have no wish to undo. I don't want to rule all of Goryeo, Prince So, you can rest assured. But I don't want your brother ruling it either. He is making the people of Goryeo who were once Hubaekje's citizens to suffer – and I cannot stand by anymore."

So swallowed as his throat went dry. Disoriented, confused, feeling as if he was way over his head, he only managed to ask, "Does Baek Ah know?"

The gisaeng princess's face turned stony, then softened into a look of pleading. "No," she said. "Not… Not yet, at least. I'm asking you not as the heir to House Gyeon, but as a woman; please just… Don't say anything just yet."

Nodding, So took a sip of his own tea. "Fine. You want to take Yo down? I'm listening." An angry, savage grin spread on his face as he began to think of the barest outline of a plot. Yo had taken so much from him, from people he cared about, and even now, he was making his own people suffer. There would be no place on heaven or earth safe for Yo if So became king.

Ji Mong's smile held an edge as if he had caught So's thoughts. "Very good, Your Highness."

Woo Hee's back was straight, her words precisely spoken, but her eyes held shadows of emotion when she spoke of her people's plight. For Hubaekje, the wars had never really ended, even now those people were second-class citizens, low-paid unskilled laborers, or worse; slaves. Riots and rebellions rose as a matter of course among the people of the Hubaekje territories, and the Goryeo government would send troops to shut them down, terrorizing the population and taking more and more from them, making them angrier and rise up again… A vicious cycle.

Their princess in hiding but alive, there was a hope for the people of Hubaekje – that one day she would come and destroy the unified Goryeo, to sit on the throne as queen of Hubaekje and restore their freedom and happiness. But Woo Hee did not want to do that. The king on the throne now, Yo, did not care for her people in the least – he treated them the same way Taejo had. But if a new king arose to the throne, one who would have the interests of the people of Hubaekje in mind, Woo Hee could give him the leverage to wrest the throne from Wang Yo.

Ji Mong's face was inscrutable as he drank his tea, but So was filled with the fire of promise of becoming king. If he became king, all that was wrong could be put right – and he would have the pleasure of seeing Yo beaten to death like a dog, the pleasure of seeing his people happy, and Hae Soo by his side again.

"There is but one thing else…" Woo Hee began, then faltered. "I want to marry Baek Ah."

Something prickled at So's mind. This was Woo Hee. A pleasant person with a biting sense of humor to match Baek Ah's sarcasm, a light, cheerful attitude… And yet… "You want to marry into the royal family?" he asked.

Woo Hee's painted lips thinned. "I want to marry the man I love. As the head gisaeng of Songak's finest gyobang, I am not free to marry. As princess of Hubaekje, I am. I have no interest in politics – I want the best for my people, and to marry the man I love. That is all, Prince So."

So nodded and they gripped hands. "Well, then, Princess Woo Hee," he said with a grin, "I believe we have an accord."

Ji Mong's eyes over the rim of his teacup were filled with approval.

/

In Soo's dream, _she chased after someone, tears in her eyes, but his armored back was getting far away from her._

 _A gaping hole opened up in the ground and she fell and fell, another person falling along with her, gripping her hand tightly, his sword out to beat back the shadows that surrounded them as they fell. On the ground far below her, she saw a man with his head in his hands, swords stuck into the ground all around him._

 _Before she hit the ground, she closed her eyes, but it was not the ground she felt, it was cold water, and she struggled to the surface, gasping for air, as she had on the day she came to Goryeo._

 _Though she stood knee-deep in the water, it was as still and flat as a mirror, not even rippling around her, darkly reflecting the night sky full of stars. There was not even the hint of a moon._

 _On the bank, she saw a massive, shaggy animal racing forward, and something arcing down out of the sky. In front of her, the wolf and the dragon met with roars that sounded like the world was ending. The dragon's body coiled about that of the wolf, and the wolf sank its teeth into the dragon's side._

 _She clapped her hands over her mouth as blood spurted, and in the mess of scales, fur and rending teeth, she could not distinguish either. She wanted to scream for them to stop, but no voice escaped her paralyzed throat._

 _Beside her in the water, a snake reared its head, watching along with her and lazily curling its sleek body. Its slitted eyes regarded her with a cold amusement. It held a flower in its fangs, a beautiful red rose whose thorns made the snake's mouth bleed._

 _Someone came to her then, walking atop the water as if it was solid._

 _"Your Grace," said a man's familiar voice as he sank to one knee in front of her, offering her his sword. A sad smile tugged at his lips, and his eyes burned with ardor. "My queen."_

Soo shot up in bed with a gasp.

The dark figure across the room also let out a gasp.

Without time to think, without time to panic, Soo leapt out of bed and yanked at the doors, screaming. They did not budge.

The figure approached. It was a man in dark clothing, a scarf around his mouth, and Soo knew he did not bode well for her. She darted across the room, bringing the table between him and her.

He leapt, but she pushed the table as hard as she could, screaming, terror giving her strength.

The table hit him in the midriff and he was delayed but for a second.

Soo shrieked, grabbing the back of her chair and slinging it at the dark figure with all her might. The man easily avoided it and Soo's breath froze in her throat as the slither of steel being drawn sounded, and a blade glinted in his hand.

She stumbled back, but her foot caught on the hem of her nightdress and she fell backwards, scrambling away. He was too fast.

As she found her breath and screamed again, Jung burst through the door, wood splintering under his shoulder, sword drawn.

Soo rolled to the side instinctively as the assassin's knife came plunging down.

Jung charged him, roaring wordlessly. The assassin standing over her whirled, but he was not fast enough. Jung took him though the shoulder with his sword, pinning him to the wall.

The man screamed, blood spurted, knife clattering to the floor, and Jung drove his head into the man's face in a cruel headbutt, cutting him off. The assassin drooped, unconscious, kept upright by Jung's quivering sword.

Jung stepped back, panting, blood splattered across his face and chest, pulling the sword back out of the wall and the man with a sickening sucking sound. He wore only trews and an untied under-shirt, hair undone as if he had been just woken up.

He dropped to his knees on the floor beside her, taking her shaking hands and looking her over. "Soo!" he said urgently. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

Through her chattering teeth, she breathed, "N-no," and he let out a sigh of relief.

"Good… That's really good." His hands rested on her shoulders, grounding her with a light warmth. His voice was gentle. "Breathe. Close your eyes and just breathe. In… Out… Good, like that."

She numbly followed his instructions, feeling as if the air she was gulping in wasn't enough, would never be enough.

"Slowly. You're not hurt – you're _alive_ ," Jung continued. "You're in the palace, in your quarters. I'm here. The stars are out. Don't try to think about anything. Just breathe."

It was cold. The air was too cold and it burned her lungs. She shuddered. "C-cold…"

Jung soothingly rubbed her arms, up and down. "I know. I know what you mean. You'll be alright. All you need to do is breathe. Look down. Look down at the floor."

Her eyes traced the grain of the wood, the tiny gaps between the floorboards. Those were real. They seemed oddly sharp, like a video suddenly set to HD 1080p. Slowly, her breath began to return to normal.

"That's good," Jung said encouragingly.

There was the thunder of booted footsteps in the hall, and Yo appeared in the doorway in a similar half-undressed state as Jung with a robe over his shoulders, a crossbow in his hand and ten guardsmen behind him. He took the scene in, the assassin pinned like an insect, blood-splattered Jung at Soo's side and Soo herself, with her pale face and uncontrollably shaking body.

"Take him," he ordered, pointing at the assassin, then dropped down into a crouch beside Soo. He looked at Jung. "What happened?" he asked.

Jung took a breath. "I couldn't sleep. I heard her scream so I took up my sword and ran here. All the guards were dead. He looked at Soo. "He almost got her but I was in time. I left him alive so you could question him."

Yo looked over at the guards wrestling the sword out of the wall and taking the assassin under his arms. He bled onto the floor, dripping. "Yes, barely," Yo said wryly. "He will not survive the night, and that is if he's not dead already."

Soo found her tongue again. "W-why-?" she managed. 'Why would anyone want to kill me?'

Yo's eyes were dark. "Why would anyone want to murder you, little wife?" he asked, not ungently. Jung gave Yo a sharp glance that the king did not see. Of the wrong things to say, that was one. "Many reasons. But this was the first time, and it will not be the last, of that I am certain."

He opened his mouth to speak again, but another man burst through the door with a sword in his hand.

"Soo-" So cut himself off as his eyes flicked from the unconscious, bleeding assassin, then to Soo, surrounded by Jung and Yo.

Yo and Jung both looked at him, and Soo lifted a hand as if to reach for him.

"You're too late, Wolf-dog," Yo said. "The time for heroics is over." A crafty look spread over his face. "But there _is_ something you can do for me."

So bowed stiffly, keeping his eyes on Soo the entire time. "Your Majesty. I am at your service."

"Go find who hired this man," Yo said in a low voice, sweeping the room with a ferocious gaze. "Hunt him. And bring him to me, _alive_ , so I can use him as target practice before I hang him in front of the whole of Songak _and mount his head on a spike above the palace gates_!" he roared.

Bowing, So met Yo's eyes. "It would be my pleasure," he said softly. For a moment, he met Soo's eyes, then turned and left the room.

Soo's chest still felt stuffy and she leaned into Jung, until her vision darkened, and she fell limply sideways into Jung.

/

Jung caught her and held her, gently and carefully, as if she would break. An arm under her head and another under her knees, he lifted her. "Get the physician. _Now_!" he commanded a shocked court lady poking her head into the room. He turned to the king, eyes sharp. "She has to be protected more carefully," he said flatly. "Especially after you had to send Yeon Hwa away."

Yo turned to one of the guards. "Put ten men outside her door, and twenty around the perimeter of the building. The _best_ men." Then he raised his eyebrows at Jung. "Are you criticizing me?"

"Does it _matter_?" Jung snapped. "Soo almost _died_ today. I don't know if you care for her at all, brother, but if she is _any_ use to you whatsoever, after a thing like this – she should be protected more carefully."

"Be careful, Jung," was all Yo said. It could have meant many things; his voice held no anger, no malice, nor any wry amusement.


	16. Chapter 16

So stared down at the bloody dead body with frustration. Jung had shown no quarter at all, that was obvious. So didn't blame his youngest brother, in this, at least – were So in the young prince's place, protecting Soo, he may have done worse.

The man had died before he could be questioned for real – and as he was being carried to the palace prisons, he hoarsely whispered incoherent things, his rattling breath coming in gasps through his pale lips. His arm hung on by a few strands of muscle and ligament, and Jung's sword had nicked one of his major arteries. He had been bandaged, but the blood seeped through anyway. His blood flowed sluggishly, dripping thickly to the flagstones from his shoulder. The only reason the would-be assassin had survived this long was because his skin had swelled around Jung's sword pinning him to the wall.

So walked beside the guardsmen carrying the man and plied the would-be assassin with questions. "Who hired you?"

"…Heavens…please…" And then something else So didn't understand that sounded like a prayer. The man kept praying in his last moments, his unseeing eyes reflecting the night sky and the burning torches.

"Who hired you?" So repeated, louder.

The man blinked gasping a little, as if he had heard So this time. "Mother…" he whispered. "Red and gold…Temple…just gold…didn't know…the girl…"

" _Who hired you_?" snapped So.

The man's voice wavered and his eyes closed. With his last breath, all he said was, "… _Mother_ …"

And with that, he died, leaving So with more questions than answers, and a dead body on his hands. If this was as simple as chasing a group of assassins through the mountains, or over the rooftops, or tracking an enemy – So would have found the culprit by morning, or at least by noon of the following day. But with the muttered nonsense of a dying man, a standard-made dagger, and the intended target as clues, there was barely anything to start on.

"Who would want to kill Soo?" he said out loud, staring at the dead man. He did not answer.

Letting out a long breath, So turned away and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to concentrate. He needed to find who hired the assassin. He needed to keep meeting with Woo Hee and Ji Mong. He also needed to stay away from Soo to keep Yo from suspecting anything, especially that he was intensely involved in a treasonous plot. And he needed to do all three of these things in less than a week, because he had been assigned to return to Seokyeong again.

More than anything, So just wanted to scoop Soo up and run away with her; travel the world, go somewhere very, very far away. And to keep them from Yo's rage, he would take Baek Ah, that little servant-girl Soo liked, Eun, Soon Deok… All of them. Every single one. He entertained that fantasy but for a moment, then returned to the present day and the present ugly situation.

Day had already broken, and he stepped out of the palace dungeon. The palace servants walked in lines, their heads down, led by a court lady, the guards stood their posts, and he briefly saw a young nobleman leaning against the window-frame several floors up, stretching and watching the lightening sky. So yawned in return. He was bone-tired, running the rooftops, plotting sedition, then running the rooftops again, coming too late to be the one to save Soo, then failing to get anything useful out of the would-be assassin.

Well, he still had a day ahead of him that he had to stay awake for. He would not be wasting any time if he could help it. And someone he needed to question about current events, anyone that might have a grudge against Soo or Yo and want to kill her…

He rubbed his forehead. And he still hadn't even visited Baek Ah yet-

So almost slapped himself. Of all people to know what was going on, it would be Baek Ah, of course. A twinge of guilt surfaced at the thought of the secret he carried, and how Baek Ah would think of him when the truth surfaced, but he put it aside, deciding to eat a strong breakfast, then talk with his favorite brother.

/

Baek Ah sat outside the doors of the king's chambers beside Jung, who looked as if he had seen better days. First, he had tried to talk a little sense into his younger brother, Soo would not recover quicker if he stood sentinel outside the door, and besides, it was not like she was unprotected. It seemed as if the king had ordered an entire battalion to surround the perimeter of the building, and to have at least ten men lining the hallway on either side of the door to the room.

Soo had been carried to the king's rooms, and she had remained there as the blood and splintered door were cleaned from the third queen's own room. As soon as he had heard the commotion outside Soo's residence, Baek Ah had awoken, but it seemed as if almost everyone had beat him to the chase. Jung had saved her, the king had come with his guards, a gaggle of physicians had been called – even So had come, but he had left quickly. So, Baek Ah, unsure of what he could do, wanted to stay by his friend's side for as long as he could, which also involved staying by Jung's.

When the new court physician left So's room, Jung took him firmly by the arm, towering over him. "How is she?" he asked in a voice tense with worry.

"She seems to be fine now," the physician said, cringing away from Jung's intensity and the tight hold on his arm. "I don't know what she was like when she first fainted. Perhaps it was simply a shock. She will recover soon, I think."

Jung let him go, Baek ah thanked the man, and they both went back to being silent sentinels; Jung standing leaning against the wall, arms folded, and Baek Ah sitting cross-legged beside him. There was a long silence between them, Baek Ah saying nothing because he did not know what to, and Jung because he seemed deep in thought.

Finally, he said, "I didn't want her to see… That."

"See what?" Baek Ah asked.

Jung's brow furrowed and he avoided his brother's eyes staring down at the floor. "Killing that assassin," he said. "Quickly, bloodily like that. She's seen enough of that, and now that _I've_ done it…"

"If you hadn't, she'd be dead," Baek Ah said quietly. "You saved her life, Jung. Don't beat yourself up over it."

"I would do it again," Jung snapped. "I don't regret protecting her. I just…" his voice fell to barely above a whisper, "I didn't want to show her what I'd become."

Baek Ah pulled Jung's sleeve, and the younger prince slid down the wall to sit beside his brother. Putting an arm around his shoulders, Baek Ah's voice remained casual, yet gentle. "You saw things in Khitan, didn't you? You did things? Things that you'll remember for the rest of your life." Jung stiffened slightly, but did not pull away quite yet. "Do you want to talk about it?" Baek Ah asked. "Sometimes, it helps to talk about it."

Jung sighed, biting his lips, and Baek Ah was struck by how young he was. How much older Jung carried himself now, how much older he'd gotten, really. "I just… I don't want to be _weak_ …" he whispered, a painful confession. "But every time I tell myself that it's the truth, that death is- It's ugly, messy, painful… It frightens me that I can just- Just kill someone like that. How normal it is. How people can take it so… Lightly. I see them. People I've killed. What they look like. In my dreams. I can't sleep for so long sometimes I think I'll go mad. It's better when I'm home but… The worst is when I forget. It's when I forget what they look like because I've killed so many. But…" Then he trailed off.

"You're not weak," Baek Ah said. "You're human."

"Have you ever even killed someone?" Jung asked, then shut his mouth quickly. Baek Ah could see that he didn't mean it to sound so accusatory.

Baek Ah nodded. "Once," he said. "Dressed as a commoner, I was attacked by a drunk. Stronger, bigger than I. He told me I was as pretty as a girl, and wondered if I would scream the same as one. I broke a bottle and drove the jagged edge into his face. I kept stabbing and stabbing him with it in the same place, over and over again, until he stopped moving and his face was a bloody mess." He kept his voice even and still. "I tried to justify myself, I tried to blame myself, but neither worked."

Jung's voice was tight with pain. "What works?"

"The facts," Baek Ah said thoughtfully. "Right now, we live in a world within which death is unavoidable. You kill so that you will not be killed and so that someone you care about isn't killed. You are trained as a warrior. Those are facts."

Jung remained quiet, letting out a breath and leaning a little against Baek Ah. After a long while of silence, the fourteenth sighed and changed the subject.

"You know, brother, I think So wants to… Pick up what he started with Soo."

Baek Ah's eyebrows went up.

Sitting up a little and crossing his arms, Jung's expression was stony. "Even though he abandoned her when she needed him most," he added.

"He did not return any of her letters and said nothing to me when I visited him in Seokyeong," Baek Ah said evenly. "Why are you under that impression?"

"He was jealous of Yo. And of… Me, I suppose. He was angry, I don't think he was in his right mind right about then, and said many things that I think he wouldn't normally say," Jung said diplomatically, but there was steel in his eyes. "It seemed he was eager to assign blame everywhere but to himself."

"Ah."

Jung's teeth gritted. "I don't understand him."

"Do you want to?" Baek Ah asked.

"I can't. If- If there was someone I loved," Jung said, making it painfully obvious, "Then I would not leave that person's side. I would not abandon her when she needs me. I would not betray her, or- Or kill someone she risked her life to protect. If I had to leave, I would answer her letters. When I came back, I would go to see her immediately. If I had wronged her, I would beg her forgiveness. Can you think of any reason for him not to do the same if he truly loves Soo?"

"We don't know his circumstances. We don't know why he did what he did," Baek Ah said. It felt as if he was playing devil's advocate, but besides being his brother, So was his best friend, 'And still is,' he thought.

Jung stood again. "No, we don't. We may not know, but even if we did know, would those reasons be enough?" He raised his chin. "So is proud. Perhaps that is all. He wants to wait until Soo admits she was wrong to protect Wook," he spat.

"Do you truly think so little of him?" Baek Ah asked, too surprised to be angry for the moment. He rose to look Jung straight in the eye.

"I don't know _what_ to think of him," Jung said.

A throat was cleared. Jung whirled, hand on the hilt of his sword, and Baek Ah peered around his younger brother's broad back. So stood at the end of the hallway, leaning casually against the wall, but the tenseness in his shoulders and the shadows under his eyes belied the unconcerned posture.

Jung's eyes were full of steel.

'If looks could kill…' Baek Ah thought, shaking his head. So probably heard much of their conversation. He smiled at So. "Long time no see, brother."

"Baek Ah," So said. "I need to talk to you."

Outside, So and Baek Ah stood under the eaves of the building. "I need to find the person who hired the assassin to kill Soo," So said, cutting to the chase. "As he was dying, he only spoke gibberish in answer to my questioning. Can you tell me of all the people who could have a grudge against Soo…" His lips thinned crookedly, "…Or Yo for that matter, since she seems to be his favorite?" There was bitterness in his voice as he said it, but he stopped himself.

"Who doesn't?" Baek Ah muttered. Then he paused. "Just in the past few weeks, really, so much has happened. Yeon Hwa was sent away, and no-one can agree on the reason. Some say she displeased the king, others say she took ill, yet others say she went to visit her mother… Won seems to have disappeared as well, but that's not exactly unusual, he does that from time to time. Before that, Jung came back from Khitan after two years, but I suppose you know that already…" He trailed off as So's jaw tightened. "Ah. Queen Yoo has been sent away to rest in some southern temple. They say she was… Vehemently against going – but Yo insisted."

So's brow furrowed. "Why did he send her away?" he asked, puzzled. "I thought they were… Close."

Baek Ah winced. "Not anymore. Yo wants to make his own way as a king without the Queen Mother's influence. And… There's something else." He lowered his voice. "You understand, I hear things from friends in the palace, occasionally," he said. It wasn't like he was a spymaster or anything. But being friendly, liberal, and kind to the servants meant he had a few connections in places where others would be hard-pressed to find them. He knew that some of them were Won's people, some of them probably the king's, the Queen Mother's, Lord Park's, Lord Wang's, or Yeon Hwa's. But some of them were just friends who liked to gossip.

So raised an eyebrow. "Friends?"

"Yes, _friends_ ," Baek Ah said firmly. "I am a charming, sociable, handsome young man. Why would I _not_ have friends?" he laughed.

A small, tired smile stretched So's lips. "Go on."

"Soo didn't tell me this herself because she was probably worried, or didn't want me to worry, or perhaps didn't think of it. More than anything, she didn't want to get me involved," Baek Ah said, hoping his preface was not too long, or too worrisome to So. "But it seems that the Queen Mother wished Soo, as Yo's 'favorite', to convince him to change his successor."

So's brow furrowed again, eyes going dark. "No official successor has been decreed as of yet," he said. "It would be safe to assume that Prince Gyungchunwon would come to take that position… When the time came, and his mother, or Lord Park himself would rule as regent." He looked lost in thought. "Obviously, Mother wouldn't want House Park in charge if Yo dies," he said quietly, as if thinking out loud, not even realizing it, "But why now? What is she worried about?"

"Queen Yoo wanted Yo's heir to be Jung," Baek Ah said.

So's eyes widened. "And Jung is still alive?" he asked in disbelief.

"I think Soo may have convinced the king to spare him when she told him of Queen Yoo's plans. I'm not sure, but since Yo sent her away very quickly after that, she may have gotten wind that Soo… Wasn't as pliable as she'd hoped," Baek Ah said. "It's just a theory, though."

A shadow passed over So's face and he remained silent for a long time. Then he started, eyes aflame with realization, clapping Baek Ah on the shoulder. "Thank you," he said hurriedly, then turned on his heel and ran.

/

The message said nothing but, ' _As usual, sweetling_ ,' and Chae Ryung knew who it was from and what His Highness the ninth prince meant. Her heart rose in her chest, elated at seeing him again, and when darkness fell, she came to the secluded corner of the gardens, where a dark pavilion's sloping roof was littered with flower petals. She wondered if he would notice that she had colored her lips and eyelids a little, barely enough to be noticeable, but when she saw herself in the mirror, she thought she was almost as beautiful as Lady Soo.

Won was waiting for her, languidly stretched out on a bench with one leg hanging off and an arm under his head. When she entered, he sat up. "Well, sit down," he said cheerfully. She obeyed and he gave her an appraising look, lips quirking up. "You look well," he said.

"Thank you, Your Highness," she said, ducking her head shyly. "As do you."

He smiled. "So, tell me, what has happened in my absence?"

Dutifully, Chae Ryung began. "Lady Soo had tea with the Queen Mother for several days in a row, and she told me that it was very tiring with all the politics, and the things she wanted Lady Soo to convince His Majesty of." She lowered her voice. "I- Well, I couldn't help overhearing, Your Highness, and I think Her Grace was talking about making Prince Jung the king's heir. Then, suddenly, the Queen Mother was sent away to rest by the king. When I brought in tea, she was screaming at him and all." She told him other things, secret things, the woman she had seen come out of Lord Ryu's son's room on the day of his party celebrating his promotion to government official – young Lady Kim, and many other tidbits. Then she trialed off. "And then, yesterday night, someone tried to kill Lady Soo."

Won's ears pricked up. "Ah, so that's what it was. Lady Soo, was it?" he asked. "Tell me more."

"All the guards were killed, but the assassin, he was killed by Prince Jung, and Lady Soo was unharmed." Something deep inside her made her pause and not tell Won of Soo's state. She had not woken up yet, and Chae Ryung was worried.

"Do you know whose he was?" Won asked, but something told Chae Ryung that he already knew. He looked distracted and a little annoyed.

"No, he died before he could be questioned, Your Highness," Chae Ryung said. "At least, that's what the guards that were there say."

Won nodded. "Ah. I see. Dearest Jung has yet to learn restraint when it comes to defending his lady love."

Chae Ryung's eyes widened. "Prince Jung and Lady Soo are-?"

"Oh, no, no – goodness, no – that's what makes it funnier," Won said, waving a hand. "Don't tell anyone I'm back yet, alright? I'll be back officially tomorrow when my ship reaches the harbor."

A little affronted, Chae Ryung looked up at the prince. "I-I've _never_ told anyone-"

Won smiled. "Of course not. But there is talk, you know," he said.

"Talk?" Chae Ryung asked.

"Of my… Friendly… Relation with an anonymous court maid," Won said, raising an eyebrow. "Perhaps several – accounts differ. I arrive in secret three days earlier than I should, to see someone I shouldn't be seeing… Well, it could look bad for us."

Chae Ryung's face flared red at the implication and she looked down, swallowing. "I-I… I mean… We've never- To even _think_ -"

A knuckle under her chin tilted her face up to look at him. "You've never thought of it?" he asked, a curious, flirtatious, sideways smile on his lips. She did not want to look up at his eyes for fear of finding them cold. "That's odd."

But her face reddened further at this, and she stuttered something polite and noncommittal.

"Ah, so you _have_ ," Won said with a little chuckle, fingers still under her chin, his thumb now running over her lips.

Chae Ryung's eyelids fluttered shut and she held her breath, but no kiss was forthcoming. When she opened her eyes again, burning with embarrassment and anger, Won had turned away from her, covering his face with a hand.

"I'm sorry," he said lightly, when he looked back at her, face in shadow. "It seems I still have things left to do tonight. Wait for me, alright?"

"A-are you toying with me, Your Highness?" she burst out, tears rising in her eyes. "Is… Is this a game to you?"

For a moment, his eyes seemed almost gentle. "You love me, sweetling, you are comely, and you have become a fine woman. With you, it would be a good game to play. Perhaps another time?"

Then he stood, swept down to give her a kiss on the forehead, and left.

Sitting with her flaming cheeks and pounding heart, Chae Ryung watched him disappear into the shadows.

/

Soo woke in the king's bed. Candles shone through the gauzy curtains and lowered voices were muffled. She felt tired and weakened, but recovering, and the blankets rustled as she sat up, leaning back against the pillows. The voices stopped abruptly, and the curtains were lifted at the bedside, Yo stepping through, Jung following and brushing right past him to reach Soo first.

"Soo!" Jung exclaimed, kneeling down, taking her hand.

Soo smiled at him. "I'm doing better," she said. "Thank you. You saved my life."

Jung smiled slightly, reluctantly letting her hand go as Yo elbowed him almost imperceptibly. "Of course," he said. "I would say, 'any time'," he added with a little grin, "But I'd like you to stop needing life-saving from now on. It's rather… _Stressful_." He looked proud at having used Soo's word.

Laughing a little, Soo patted his arm. "I'll try," she said.

"More guards have been posted, but other measures will be taken to ensure this doesn't happen again. I wanted to go with you into hiding for now," Jung said, "But _His Majesty_ -"

Yo cleared his throat, cutting the fourteenth prince off. "Now that you're assured she's alive, after sitting at the door for an entire day," he said dryly, "Perhaps you can find something else to do."

Soo could see that Jung's expression of confusion was feigned for her sake, unsure if he wanted to leave her alone with Yo in her current state. "Huh? I've got nothing I have to do, Majesty," he said, looking at Yo over his shoulder. He was not fooling anyone, but she appreciated the thought.

Reaching over and patting Jung's hand, Soo smiled. "I'm sure you're tired, Your Highness. Maybe you want to sleep?"

Jung looked more serious. "Thank you for caring about me, Soo. If you're sure that's the best thing to do, I'll go," he said earnestly.

She gave him a reassuring smile and he left, smiling back at her as he parted the curtains. "Eat well!" he called.

"I will!"

Yo looked from Soo to Jung's retreating back with raised eyebrows. "Should I be concerned, little wife?" he asked.

"About what?" Soo asked, sitting up straighter and folding her hands in front of herself.

He sat down on the edge of the bed and waved a hand at where Jung was. "He seems to ignore me when you're involved. Is it sedition or an illicit affair?"

Soo gave him a flat look. "Neither, Your Majesty."

Yo shrugged. "He _is_ in love with you, you know," he said.

Soo rolled her eyes. "He's _not_ ," she said. Jung had called her ' _sister_ ' up until a few years ago. A nagging thought entered her head, 'Yo married Yeon Hwa and she's his-' She cut herself off. 'Nope. Not going there. I've gotten this far without thinking about it – I can get a little further.' Jung was close to her and cared about her, but he was a close friend, just like Baek Ah. Obviously, he got a little flustered when she slipped back into the more open modern actions of her past life, but so did _everyone_. Well, Baek Ah didn't, but he was a rather liberal exception. There was definitely the possibility that Jung had a crush on her when they were younger. But he was older now, and honorable to a fault. She doubted it. He cared a lot about her, but they were only good friends.

Eyebrows still raised, Yo shrugged again. "Fine, have it your way," he said, dropping the topic. "Did the assassin say anything to you?" he asked. "Anything at all?"

"Nothing," Soo said, shivering. "He didn't say anything. But when Jung stabbed him…" she shivered again, "He _screamed_."

Yo nodded. "It gets easier," he offered, not ungently.

Soo looked at him sourly. "Assassination attempts?"

"Seeing someone killed in front of you, I mean. Those too, I suppose," Yo clarified. In what seemed like an awkwardly jerky movement, he patted her hand on top of the covers. "Look on the bright side," he said. "You didn't die." Regaining some of his usual smooth condescension, he smirked, leaning in. "What would I do if my favorite hostage was eliminated?"

"Favorite hostage?" Soo repeated his words with a layer of disbelief. 'Hostage – yes. But _favorite_?'

Yo's eyebrow rose. "Surely you don't think I _dislike_ you?"

Despite his light tone and disdainful smirk, he seemed a little ill at ease, until she couldn't help smiling at him. "It is an honor, Your Majesty. I assume you mean 'hostage' as a term of endearment. Henceforth, I believe the title of 'royal consort' or 'queen' should be replaced with 'hostage. It gives it a… More genuine flavor."

He stared at her, the began to laugh, tilting his head back and covering his face with his hand as if to try and hide the extent of his amusement. "Rest well," he said as he rose. "There are necessary preparations to be made."

"Preparations?" Soo echoed.

Yo's grin was genuine. "Wait and see." With his back to her, his hand rested on the door handle as he paused before leaving. He cleared his throat. "You know," he said, "I'm glad you didn't die."


	17. Chapter 17

In the morning, Yo inquired after Soo's recovery, and was told that she had risen from bed and was enjoying tea in the company of the thirteenth and fourteenth princes. He rolled his eyes at that, but it relieved him much more greatly than he would admit. He wondered what she would think of the gift he planned to give her, whenever the jewelers finished it, today, hopefully.

He was also notified that the ninth prince's ship had docked, at which his anxiety rose. Trying not to think of Yeon Hwa, Yo got ready for a morning assembly of the court. Lord Park had not come to court in two years, and Yo was entirely disillusioned – there would be no alliance with House Park, despite the two Lady Parks that he'd married in hopes of such. Was it Lord Park who'd wanted Soo killed? Or one of Yo's many other enemies?

Yo was angry. Furious. Enraged. How dare someone try and kill Hae Soo? His wife, his favorite hostage, the closest thing he had to a friend – Hae Soo was all that and perhaps more, though Yo did not want to have to deal with what that delayed realization entailed quite yet. There was the fact that he cared for her, somewhat. But as a matter of principle, a blatant attack on her could not be ignored, and could not be interpreted in any other way but as a direct threat to him.

He turned his flaming rage into something sharper, colder, more focused as he sat on his throne. Something he could use, and not a burst of unnecessary emotion in a crisis.

It seemed that despite his attempt to keep the attempt on Soo's life quiet, most of the nobles had heard of it, and were shaken. Lord Park's youngest son, Park Seung, a round, short man with a wispy beard, little more than one-and-twenty years old, attended court, but he was a bumbling fool that his father seemed to have given up on. Even if Yo decided to interrogate him, he would know nothing of Park Sul Hui's plans.

Yo sat comfortably on his throne, mostly ignoring what the nobles had to say. Behind him, Choi Ji Mong stood, as he always did, in silence.

When it all was finally over, and they all, including Ji Mong, filed out, muttering amongst themselves, Yo hoped for a little respite. But it was announced that both the fourth prince and the ninth prince wished to be admitted for an audience.

"Send them both in," Yo said. Whatever So had to say, Yo wanted to know what he'd managed to find out. And since it was a safe bet that Won would be able to add something of his knowledge to whatever So would be talking about, it would be useful to have the both of them there. Won would find out anyway. The ninth prince was the best spymaster Yo had ever seen – and he had seen his numerous uncles, his mother and his own experience. Won trumped them all.

So stepped forward with a short, crisp bow, then looked Yo straight in the eyes. "I am almost entirely certain of the assassin's employer, Your Majesty," he said flatly. "Perhaps a private audience would be in order." He looked sideways at Won.

Won seemed entirely unperturbed, smiling and standing with his fingers interlaced and his hands in front of himself, perfectly comfortable. His purple robes shone silkily in the strips of light coming from the high windows.

"Won stays. It saves time," Yo said. "Talk."

So's lips thinned in disapproval, and his jaw clenched. "Very well," he said. "The man who attacked S- Lady Hae, died before he could be questioned. Upon asking for his employer, he responded with what seemed like gibberish. He spoke of gold, red, temples, someone's mother. Then he died. Seeing that direction as an investigative failure, I… Gained information." He paused, glancing from Won to Yo, then back to Won.

Yo raised an eyebrow. He had noticed the slip-up in So's speech. 'You're not fooling anyone with your 'Lady Hae'…' But what irked Yo more was So's sudden gaining of information. What information was that, and why was he so loath to part with it?

Won smiled, looking at So with an expression of affectedly polite curiosity.

"Of late, Lady Hae had been spending much time with our mother, before she… Took a trip to stay in a temple for her health," So said. He spoke too stiffly and not smoothly enough, as if he, himself did not believe what he was saying.

Yo rolled his eyes. "Get on with it."

So took a deep breath and frowned in concentration, as if he was stepping onto thin ice in a pair of iron boots. "Because Lady Hae did not relay Mother's suggestion to Your Majesty in the way that she wished… It seemed that Mother grew angry with her daughter-in-law," So said.

'He knows. He knows Mother wanted to put Jung on the throne.' The thought flashed through Yo's mind, followed by, 'And despite the danger that telling me this puts him in, he's telling me anyway. Because he thinks it'll help Soo.' He paused. 'Little Lady Hae Soo.' It was only after that the it hit him that it was his mother who was directly undermining _his_ authority and trying to kill _his_ wife.

The rage rose in him again, and he wanted to throw something at So. He restrained himself, hands curling into fists on the golden throne's armrests.

"I believe Mother is the employer," So said unnecessarily.

There was a deep silence in the throne room. So stood stiff and straight in the middle of the floor, not breaking eye contact with Yo. Won's smile had not disappeared from his face, but his eyes shone with a bright spark as he looked Yo and So over.

"So – you're dismissed for now," Yo said quietly. "You will be relieved, I think, to know Lady Hae is being guarded much more carefully." A double-edged reassurance.

So nodded once, sharply, then turned on his heel and left.

Won and Yo remained in silence until his footsteps died away. Won smiled. "Our brother is quite the risk-taker, wouldn't you say, Your Majesty?"

"I _would_ say, but that's not what needs to be spoken of right now," Yo said. "What of Yeon Hwa?"

The genuinely fond look on Won's face put Yo off-guard for the moment. "She is doing well," he said. "Very well. The sea air will do her wonders. She's already threatened me several times, and I've made sure she will be very comfortable."

"I doubt anyone can be comfortable in _your_ house," muttered Yo.

"Your Majesty would be surprised." He pulled a letter from his sleeve. "A letter from her. It reads more like a military report, but it's the thought that counts."

"I am glad your duplicitous streak hasn't come though yet," Yo said with an eye roll, accepting Yeon Hwa's letter. He made no comment on the fact that Won had read it.

Won shrugged. "What can I say, Your Majesty? I'm probably one of the most honest men in the capital, even when I'm being dishonest."

Yo's brow furrowed and he sat up slightly on the throne, tapping his fingers on the armrest. "That aside…" he began. "If it truly is Mother, then… My son would be next. You know she wants Jung to rule, and neither Jung, nor I want that."

Won nodded. "So's deduction is correct," he said. "If you wish, Your Majesty, I can… Speak with her."

"Do that. You convinced Lord Ryu. Perhaps you can convince my mother," Yo said. "I'll assign a division of guards for her protection, shall we say." He smiled wryly. 'This is not at all what I envisioned being king would be like. My mother was the last person I imagined fighting…'

/

Soo was surprised to receive a message from the king after her late breakfast with Jung and Baek Ah. The two princes seemed oddly reserved, but forcedly cheerful, as if they were worried, but were trying to make her feel better. And no matter how much she loved the company of her friends, after a while, it got rather grating, so she was glad to receive the summons from the hands of a court maid.

In the king's quick writing, it said, ' _Meet me in the armory now._ '

Feeling both confused and apprehensive, she obeyed, bidding goodbye to Baek Ah and Jung, who exchanged glances when she showed them the note. "Be careful," Baek Ah warned.

"Don't overtax yourself, alright?" Jung suggested with a weak smile. "Hwaiting!"

Soo waved them off and headed to the armory. She felt fine now, perfectly fine. She was happy they cared for her but… It was almost stifling how often they asked her if she was alright. And she knew she was being unfair, but she couldn't help it. Right now, she realized with a start, Yo was the only one who wouldn't coddle her.

She walked down the steps into the armory, passing the door guards and torches lining the walls. Further in, racks of spears, bows, swords, knives and other weapons lined the walls, and the king stood, thoughtfully weighing something, then hanging it back onto the wall. As she approached, she saw it was a crossbow.

"Your Majesty," she said. "You called for me?"

Yo turned. "In light of recent events, I have decided to take rigorous action. This will no longer do. I have need of you alive, woman."

"Will you send me away, like Yeon Hwa?" Soo asked.

"I can't do that. I need you right here."

"Here, as in, in the armory?" Soo asked, a little confused.

Yo gave her a flat look. "Yes and no." He took another crossbow off the wall and lifted it, eyeing it critically. He took a smaller one, squinted at it, then handed it into Soo's surprised arms.

"Your Majesty?" Soo asked, tilting her head to the side, confused.

"Is it too heavy?" he asked impatiently.

Soo held it up awkwardly. "I… I don't know," she said cautiously. "How do I-?"

Yo 'tsk-ed' and guided her arms, lifting her hands and making her hold it properly. She would have been a little flustered, but there was a sort of distracted air about Yo, meaning that this was not one of the times during which he enjoyed her discomfiture, but rather a moment of necessity. "Like that," he said. "Is it too heavy?"

"A little," she admitted. 'It isn't like I'm hitting the gym every weekend or anything,' she thought defensively.

He plucked it from her and took another, even smaller from the wall. "This is the smallest one," he said. "Try it."

Soo tried to hold it properly, like before. It wasn't too heavy, but that wasn't the only problem. "Your Majesty, I've never used one of these before."

Yo picked a few quarrels out and laid them on the table, then adjusted her left hand. "It's fairly simple – that's the end you shoot from, and that's what you press to shoot it," he said. "You'll be taught the specifics. It's a much easier weapon to master than a bow."

"Who will teach me?" Soo asked.

"Unfortunately, me." Yo said with an air of beleaguerment. "I'd make Jung do it, but he's absolutely _useless_ at shooting. Since anyone who intends to assassinate you will count on you being defenseless," Yo said, "We'll keep these lessons secret. There's a target here, you can use that. I've left specific instructions for us _not_ to be disturbed unless an army is marching on the capital or the entire palace is on fire."

/

So found Baek Ah sitting in a pavilion with Jung, talking in worried undertones, drinking tea and eating cakes. When Jung finally left, ostensibly to practice his swordsmanship, So vaulted over the railing of the pavilion and smiled at Baek Ah's eye-roll.

"Any tea left for me?" he asked with false lightness.

"Sort of," Baek Ah said, pouring the last of the tea into a cup and sliding it across the table to him. "You ran off yesterday," he said cautiously, "And by your behavior, I'm assuming you know who hired the assassin…?"

So winced, sighed, took a sip of tea and took a while to respond. "…It's my mother. I'm almost sure it's her who wanted Soo dead."

Baek Ah choked as a piece of yakgwa stuck in his throat and he tried to breathe. "Oh," he finally said. " _Shit_."

"Indeed," So said bitterly.

"One can't choose one's own parents," Baek Ah said after a while. "There must be a way to keep this from happening again."

Letting out a long, tense breath, So shook his head. "Short of _killing_ her, there _is_ no way. She's that kind of person where once she has a grudge… She will _never_ give it up. Not for blood, not for gold, not for love. Yo seems to think he can deal with it. Maybe he'll use Won to blackmail her. Or poison her. Or send assassins after her. Or maybe he won't do anything because he's a cold-hearted bastard, and the throne and Mother seemed to be the only things he cared about."

Baek Ah winced. He paused before speaking again, but his words were uncharacteristically careful, where he usually was cuttingly honest when he spoke with So. "Soo tells me, at least, she seems to _imply_ , that – well, _maybe_ , he's not _entirely_ apathetic towards her _-_ "

"Spit it out," growled So. "What, he _loves_ her? He can get the hell in line, somewhere after Jung, or Wook's dead body."

Raising his eyebrows, Baek Ah shut his mouth with a snap of teeth, giving So a sideways look. "No, that is _not_ what I was going to say," he said reproachfully. "But by all means, go ahead. I can't wait to hear how you dislike Soo so much because… Because why? Oh, people love her. Yes, such a hateful quality. I can't believe she's my best friend. Do go on, brother." The bitter sarcasm in his voice cut So deeply.

A sour taste in his mouth, So shook his head. "Sorry. I'm tired. It makes me a little… Snappish."

"You don't say," muttered Baek Ah, voice still dripping with sarcasm. "You know, though, I really can't believe this. I thought you had something, a plan, a goal, some reason why you left her and didn't talk to her at all – but you really _do_ hate her for trying to protect Wook, after all. I love you, you are my brother, but there are times, now, when I despise you." He shook his head. "I'll always be there for you, but sometimes I'm afraid that if I do something that gets in the way of your plan, you'll abandon me too."

So froze, breath catching and eyes widening. The bitterness in Baek Ah's voice was the salt in his wound, and he gritted his teeth. 'If I can't trust him, I can't trust anyone. Even though I'm keeping Woo Hee's identity from him… I'm a terrible brother, a terrible friend.' He looked up at Baek Ah, straight in the eye. "You _know_ why Yo married her in the first place. You know he needed something, a shield between me and him, or else I would tear his throat out with my bare teeth if he kept me alive," he said in a low voice. "Soo was that shield. Is that shield. I'm not foolish enough to think Yo will hesitate for even a moment before killing her if I displease him, no matter how much he favors her. I want to show him that he has no power over me. If I show even a moment of weakness, if Soo is implicated in any way in infidelity to the king, her life is forfeit, and mine also. If I come close to her, she will pay."

Baek Ah stared at him. "What… What are you saying?" he asked shakily.

"I'm saying that I love her with all my heart – but there is no-one in this world that must know, or she will be in the gravest of danger. She's being watched by the king's people every waking moment, and while she sleeps, I would wager. Baek Ah, if I returned her letters, who do you think would have been killed? If I came to see her, if I…" He took in a shuddering breath, everything finally pouring out after those years. "And now I know a way that we can be together, that the whole world will resume its rightful place and poisonous House Yoo will not retain the throne for much longer."

"You're going to take the throne, aren't you?" Baek Ah asked in a breathless undertone. "You're going to fight your mother and Yo to do it."

There was no point in hiding it from Baek Ah any longer. "I am."

Of all unexpected things, a hug from Baek Ah was foremost. But Baek Ah leapt up and hugged So around the shoulders so hard that it was almost painful. "I didn't want to lose faith in you, brother," Baek Ah said quietly, and when he drew back, there were tears in his eyes. "Never in my life have I been so glad to have been wrong. Please, be careful. I… Neither I nor would Soo want unnecessary bloodshed."

"I am sorry. Both for me and for her. If there was a better way, I do not know it," So said.

/

Rubbing her neck as it felt sore from her first crossbow practice, Soo took Chae Ryung with her to the gardens, and the two women walked together for a while, before duties called the younger away, and Soo dropped down to sit on the grass by a mulberry tree. Yesterday, or, rather, the day before had been a trying day, to put it mildly. More than she would have liked, she was scared; scared of what the assassination attempt meant, scared of any more assassins coming for her, and scared of devolving into a choking, heart-rending panic like before.

She repeated it to herself, over and over in her mind, 'I will not be afraid, I am prepared. I am not afraid, I am prepared. I will not be afraid, I am prepared.' Soo didn't know if that mental repetition actually did anything, but as far as she was concerned, it was more than simply cowering somewhere in a dark corner, growing more and more hysterical with every time she thought of the black-clad man's shining knife plunging down towards her.

It took her a while to realize that someone had been walking down the overgrown stone steps nearby, and had stopped, watching her through the leaves. Refusing to be cowed, Soo rose carefully, stepping to the side, to put a rock between herself and the figure, but she breathed a sigh of relief and joy.

So inclined his head. "Lady Hae," he said flatly.

"Your Highness!" she breathed, running up, but stopping on a step lower than him.

"You would be relieved to know, Lady Hae, that the person who had made an attempt on your life is dead," he continued in that awful, toneless voice. "And from my deduction, the employer was the Queen Mother." Despite the emptiness in his voice, his eyes were intense when they met hers. "Remember that. Be careful."

Soo gasped.

He inclined his head again. "By your leave."

Before she could open her mouth to say something, he took several steps down, away from her, without turning back at all.

The words burst from her lips before she could think, and her hands made a grab for the edge of his sleeve. She needed to know. If she didn't know, she couldn't move on. "Have you completely forgotten me, Your Highness?"

So's stiff back offered no emotion. "For both our sakes, I will have to. Let us not meet like this again."

Her hands dropped loosely to her sides. "I see," she said softly.

The whistle and thud of an arrow embedding itself in the ground between them elicited a small shriek from her. So drew his dagger, whipping around.

"Ah. I missed," Yo said mildly, a sharp smirk on his lips. He stood at the top of the steps, the sun at his back, bowstring still quivering, a full quiver hanging at his hip.

Soo whirled, and So cursed, stiffening, slowly sheathing his dagger.

Yo's smirk did not disappear as he reached into his quiver for another arrow. "What have we here?" he said, shaking his head.

So sank to one knee, bowing his head. "Your Majesty. I beg of you, calm your rage. As I passed, I happened upon the third queen and payed my respects. I apologize for any misunderstanding."

Soo sucked in a deep breath through her teeth, eyes not leaving Yo. So was playing a dangerous game, assuming and presuming too much, balanced on a knife's edge. Yo raised an eyebrow, meeting her gaze head-on. "We'll talk now, little wife."

/

Wang Yo, this person… Over time, she had thought they had something like a cautious tolerance, not an entire _friendship_ per se, but _something_ ; the promise of a moment of hesitation and a long-melted snowman on the wall top, shared cups of tea and nights of tumultuous thunderstorms. He was cruel and harsh, pragmatic and sadistic, but somehow, she had hoped for more than that from him. How long had he hesitated before trying to shoot her, for it was _her_ he was trying to shoot?

Tears of anger and betrayal rose in her eyes, but her gaze was defiant as she met his eyes. "Which one of us were you trying to hit, Your Majesty?" she asked, her voice brittle.

He folded his arms, returning her look. "Does it matter?"

Somehow, there was no longer any doubt. "How long did you hesitate before aiming at me, Your Majesty?" Her voice rose and shook, the tears spilling, though she tried to stop them. "How long was that moment of hesitation?"

Yo rolled his eyes, letting out a sharp breath that wasn't quite a huff but wasn't quite a sigh either, and taking a step towards her. "What makes you think I was aiming at _you_ , woman?" he snapped, obviously frustrated.

Soo pressed her lips tighter tightly before speaking again. "You wouldn't have killed me. Just hit me in the arm or the leg as a warning for His Highness not to get too close to me, right?"

"While that, is, indeed, _quite_ an excellent idea, little wife," Yo said dryly, "Did you stop to think for a moment that perhaps I'm a good enough shot _not_ to miss what I'm aiming at? I would think you'd be aware of that from personal experience." He advanced on her. "It _was_ a warning, though not quite as drastic as what you had envisioned." Another step forward. "Should I be flattered you think me so… Ruthless?"

Soo opened her mouth but nothing came out.

Another step. "Once, I could kill you without hesitation. Then, I promised you a moment – nothing more, nothing less." His eyes flicked down for a moment, as if he himself couldn't believe what he was saying, the corner of his mouth curling up in a half-smile. "Yet… Now, I doubt I would be able to go through with many of the implicit threats that hang over my brothers' heads," he said. "I do not wish to kill you at all. And what I do not wish to do, I do not do."

She took a step back and her back hit the wall, breath catching.

"You're shaking," Yo noticed, even closer, forearm against the wall above her. "Are you frightened?" He smirked, and looked her over more carefully. "…No, you're angry, aren't you," he corrected himself. "Your eyes…" He leaned in, "There's fire in them."

For a blind, unthinking moment of panic or excitement, Soo thought he would kiss her, bringing a hand up to his chest to push him away, eyes widening, other hand covering her own mouth.

But he didn't.

He laughed a little at her reaction, reached up and plucked the peony hairpin from her hair. "That's something So gave you, isn't it," he said quietly.

There was no point in saying otherwise. "Yes."

He turned it over in his fingers. "It is not fine enough for a queen."

"I am not a queen. Not really." Forgetting herself, she took back it from him, staring defiantly back.

He smirked slightly, but let it go. "You are my queen," Yo said matter-of-factly. He took a package from his sleeve and placed it in her hand. " _This_ would be more fitting."

She had nothing to say and she listened to his footsteps die away in the hall outside her room.

When he had left her, she sat, unwrapping the small silken bundle. Inside was a silver hairpin, sapphires in facets shaped like teardrops dangling from fine silver chains off the head, shaped like a lacquered violet with smaller bits of sapphire, like dewdrops on the flower. It was beautiful, and Soo's breath caught, forgetting for a moment whose gift it was. The pin itself was oddly thick. When, curious, she pulled at it, it came off; a little metal sheath for a small, razor-sharp dagger.

In the silk square with which the pin was wrapped, there was a tightly folded, written in Yo's quick, precise writing. ' _They say the most beautiful roses have the sharpest thorns. You may not be a rose, but you need a thorn of your own. When the time comes to strike, do not hesitate. Wear it always; a reminder that you are stronger than you look, and that even the most delicate-looking things can be dangerous. Think of it as a token of my favor, if you will – and if that thought makes you more uncomfortable than excited, you should really examine your priorities, Hae Soo._ ' There was a hastily-written postscript at the bottom. ' _It's a knife. Inside the pin._ '

Despite herself, her lips curved into a small smile as she sheathed the little dagger, then pinned a loose coil of hair with Yo's hairpin, leaving So's on the table before her. More uncomfortable than excited? Who knew. But she never would have imagined smiling this way at any gift or note from the king.


	18. Chapter 18

Queen Yoo knew she had failed when Prince Won took an audience with her. She'd heard of him, his reputation as a spymaster, as an unscrupulous and vicious man. She had what he had done to the heads of the Houses after Yo's wedding to that Hwangbo wench.

If Yo's pet snake had orders to kill her, she would not go down easily. She would pay her own weight in gold, she would beg, she would play innocent. She had already readied herself to cry at will, but the ninth prince's immobile smile unnerved her. There was no way she would die here, like this.

"The weather has been rather fine of late, don't you agree, Your Grace?" he asked, blowing steam off the top of his teacup.

They sat in the largest room of the temple, and the doors were open onto the temple grounds, where orange leaves fell to the flagstones, swept away by broom-wielding monks. The sky shone with a gray light. Queen Yoo shifted uncomfortably.

"I suppose," she said.

"And yet," Won said, shaking his head, "Despite this lovely weather, such awful things have been happening in the capital. Autumn is a beautiful season – it would have been a shame to spend it in mourning."

Queen Yoo stiffened.

"Can you _imagine_ , Your Grace?" Won asked, shaking his head. "Lady Hae Soo, so beloved by everyone, your own daughter in law… I am truly glad that crisis was averted. Aren't you?"

Swallowing the scalding tea and barely feeling it, Queen Yoo did not take her eyes off of Won. A snake could strike lightning-fast, and she did not want to be caught unawares more than once. "What do you want?" she asked.

"What do I want?" Won asked, a little, puzzled smile rising on his lips. "I want a lot of things, I suppose." His smile turned wide, reptilian. "But what I want most of all is to _win_. And fortunately, or, rather, _un_ fortunately, Queen Mother, I won this round."

"Has House Yoo of Pyeongsan forgotten their vows to House Yoo? To me?"

"I am but one man, following the king's orders. The king seems to be winning now."

"Not everything has to do with your little games!" Queen Yoo snapped ragefully. She was out of control, and she hated it more than anything else in the world.

Won's eyes were dark and his smile unmoving as he spoke in a smooth, silky voice. "Everything is a game. The stakes differ, and some are not fun at all – but they are games nonetheless. People are blind. All they see is themselves and think that they are too important for the game to apply to them. Others cling to the realm, the gods, love… It is useless. We do not have a choice in our participation in the game. We keep playing, and playing and playing, fitting into our roles, making our moves, betting, raising the stakes. I know the truth, and it makes me a more honest man than most. Only the game is real." His tone became sharper. "This round is mine, Your Grace. I would advise against making any more moves for at least two years. Or who _knows_ what might happen."

"This isn't over," she managed to say through her teeth, trying not to shudder with horror.

"Yes, I know," Won said with a nod and a polite smile. "I would expect nothing less, Your Grace."

" _Leave_! I _order_ you to _leave_!" she screamed.

Infuriatingly slowly, Won paused at the door and inclined his head. "Thank you for your hospitality, Your Grace. Rest well."

/

So met Woo Hee again under the cover of darkness in a different, smaller gyobang than before, on the outskirts of the city, riding a horse left tied up for him by the east gate. He took no less trouble to cover his steps, and when he finally was admitted to see her in a side room upstairs, he cut straight to the chase. "I have to go back to Seokyeong," he said. "I leave tomorrow."

Woo Hee nodded. "I understand. That was why I wanted to see you. Go to Seokyeong as if nothing has happened."

He looked at her. "I don't understand."

"Keep the building process slow, and reward the workers very well. Keep them happy and well-fed. It is all I ask. I will do the rest myself. It may take a while, but I swear, Wang So, I will get you the throne of Goryeo. In return, I want my people's freedom back," Woo Hee said, her eyes burning with an intensity that sent a shudder down So's spine.

He grinned and they gripped hands. "That was the deal, Princess," he said.

/

Woo Hee let out a deep breath, hands relaxing on the balcony's railing as she stared out over the city, the night breeze cooling her face. Everything seemed to be going well, but she had a nagging feeling that it would not stay that way for long. She wanted to tell Baek Ah everything sometimes, when the weight of it all was too much to bear, but when she saw his peacefully sleeping face beside her on the pillow, or when he grinned at her, long fingers dancing over the strings of his lute, she couldn't quite bring herself to tell him she'd been lying to him ever since they'd met, and to unload all her troubles onto him.

She watched So leap into the saddle and ride away down the road, wishing him the best of luck. He was her ticket out, the key to the freedom of Hubaekje's people – what she had been searching for in all these years of exile. So was an intense, sharp, but not unlikeable person, with compassion – and his shrewd mind and unwillingness to be taken for a ride made him almost an ideal candidate for the throne.

"It seems things are, indeed, going well," someone said, the voice sounding casually from behind her.

Whirling, unsheathing the hidden dagger in the front of her dress, Woo Hee's eyes sharpened in the darkness. "What do you want?"

A man stepped out of the shadows, lifting his hands in mock surrender, chuckling a little. "Oh dear, did I frighten you?" asked Wang Won. "I am terribly sorry."

Woo Hee lowered her dagger, slowly. "You're back." Something about the ninth price set her on edge, despite him reputedly saying they had the same goal of getting So to the throne. When he had first approached her, she could barely believe it, but it seemed so far that he didn't want Yo on the throne either, and didn't care who he had to ally with in order to get his wish.

He spread his arms. "As you can see, dear lady." Leaning his back against the railing, looking up at the dark sky, he smiled vaguely. "I'm glad you decided to go through with this, you know. Ji Mong would never have agreed to any of this if you weren't the one to ask him to bring So in."

"I just want my people to be free," Woo Hee through gritted teeth.

Won looked as if he was suppressing the urge to roll his eyes. "Yes, yes, I'm aware." He smiled again. "But that isn't why I wanted to talk to you. So is going back to Seokyeong, yes, but he isn't staying there, especially now that the fortress is almost done. But that isn't what I came here to talk about. My brother will be in dire need of an army, and you are one of the few people in this kingdom that commands the undying loyalty of lots of strong, angry men; so, in the meantime, he and you will be gathering a nice army."

Woo Hee's eyebrows rose. "An _army_?"

Won's smile was a gleaming half-moon. "An army."

Taking in a breath to calm herself, Woo Hee put her hands on her hips. "I know you have a plan, I know you're using both him and me – but as long as my people are free, I don't care what I have to do. But what you're asking is ridiculous! Where am I going to get an army?"

Won shook his head. "Alright. No more mystery," he said, with the air of a long-suffering artist whose craft was unappreciated. "You know, for a gisaeng, you really lack dramatic flair." He sighed. "Your Hubaekje people are simmering with resentment. If their princess comes to them with an opportunity to fight for their freedom, they will rise in thousands. Yo took the capital with the support of Wang Shik Ryeom and less than a thousand men. I'm sure you can do it without Lord Wang, but with three thousand. At least."

Woo Hee nodded slowly. "Why?" she asked. "I thought you were in the king's good graces."

"A man without a motive is not a suspect," Won said with an enigmatic smile. "I would say I won't betray you, but you wouldn't believe me, anyway."

Nodding again, Woo Hee met his eyes.

Won's smile rose as he extended his hand. "Do we have an accord?"

/

Sleeping with a crossbow under her pillow took some getting used to. _Everything_ took some getting used to. Jung barely left her side now, Baek Ah had decided to suddenly leave the capital without saying anything to her, So had been ordered back to Seokyeong the other day, and when he saw the violet hairpin in her hair, Yo had _grinned_.

Soo stood on the walltops, watching Baek Ah ride away down the road. The leaves had been turning more and more colorful with every passing day, and the cool wind that ruffled her dress and hair was filled with the promise of winter. She could smell it in the cooling air and see it in the weak yellow sun that offered her no warmth. Winter was coming. Another year would pass. What would it bring?

She shivered as a gust of wind blew through her, and she belatedly rued the fact that she had forgotten to bring a cloak.

"I think you might have a certain fondness for freezing yourself to death, Hae Soo," Yo's amused voice said behind her, and she turned to bow to him. He rolled his eyes at her, but his gaze flicked up to the pin in her hair, and the lightning-fast grin that shone on his face was oddly bright.

Yo waved a hand at a court maid standing a discreet distance away, and the woman handed him a fur-lined cloak that he matter-of-factly threw over her shoulders in one motion, securing it with a silver cloak pin that seemed to resemble a dagger. His hands lingered and she looked up at him.

"Your Majesty?"

He raised an eyebrow. "I think thanks would be in order," he said dryly.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," she said, lowering her eyes.

Yo smirked and drew back. They stood in silence, the small black dot that was Baek Ah disappearing into the distance, and a few wispy clouds making their way across the gray sky. The cloak felt warm around her shoulders, and Soo drew it more closely around herself, coming to the edge of the battlements, a smile on her face.

It would be odd to say she liked him, but it would be wrong to say she did not. And he made it clear he liked her – whatever that entailed. Perhaps she would take a few steps into the unknown, closer to this strange king. "The hairpin…" she said, a hand going up to brush her fingers against the cool metal buried in her hair, "I must thank Your Majesty again."

Yo raised an eyebrow. "Oddly enough, I didn't expect you to like it once you found the knife inside."

"Recently I've found that, knives bear a certain… Charm," Soo said, giving him a smile.

"Charm?"

"Oh, yes. The razor-sharp edge has a very cute finish," Soo joked.

Yo's momentary smile as he lowered his head to hide it made a smile of her own rise in answer. The king shook his head. "You know, I thought you would be unable to change me, little wife – and it has proved true. But I never gave a thought to me changing you. Perhaps you will begin to exhibit interest in poisons?"

Soo's look was much more flat this time. "I'm not _that_ far gone."

"We'll see, my queen, we'll see," Yo said.

There was another comfortable silence.

"I will keep plying you with gifts until you become mine in more than name," he said suddenly, palpable arrogance in his voice, but the glitter in his eyes belied laughter, and his grin was _open_.

Unbalanced, but trying to appear less so, Soo met his gaze head-on, just how he liked it. "I'll look forward to it, Your Majesty," she said. "It will take many beautiful weapons, I think." 'Since when have I been more entranced by the prospect of weapons than flowers?' she asked herself, but whatever the answer was, she didn't particularly care at the moment.

Yo smirked. "I wouldn't have it any other way."


	19. Chapter 19

Wang Eun still hadn't come to terms with the fact that he was an adult quite yet, and already other issues were rearing their ugly heads. His grandpa was getting more and more ill, and the more ill Wang Gyu got, the more responsibility Eun carried, in terms of governance and all that adult stuff. He was pretty sure he was dealing with it decently well (yes, with a fair amount of help from Soon Deok, where would he be without her?) – but it wasn't the fact that he was full of adult responsibilities that bothered him (yeah, it bothered him but not so much when it made him feel capable and he liked looking like an accomplished man in front of Soon Deok).

What bothered him was that of late, Soon Deok was avoiding him. And just when he'd worked up the courage to ask for a kiss or something (yes, after several years of married life – they were a unique couple insofar as they weren't _really_ a couple as much as grudging friends on _his_ part and cheerfully in love on hers).

Eun, however, had been meaning to change that. Soon Deok was actually really, really pretty, and she was also a lot of fun, when she wasn't being scary or winning at whatever game they were playing (alright, fine, he was being childish, but so _what_?). Basically, Eun realized, he'd liked Soon Deok a lot, for a long time, and he was only coming around just now.

Yanggeun was described by those in Songak as a paradise, and, as most people who take their home for granted, Eun didn't really think much of that statement. It was warm and sheltered by mountains on the east, and its lands were fertile, yielding a rich harvest each year. Wang Gyu's manor sat on top of a hill, with a winding path leading up to it, in between the multitude of fruit trees that constituted the orchard. In the mornings, when the mist hadn't fully lifted and it was still a little chilly, Eun would go outside, climb a tree, and eat oranges while watching Soon Deok show off her wrestling and swordsmanship skills.

There was a point when Eun had been frightened of her strength (not that he would have admitted it), but now he thought of it as yet another, amazing part of her. Blushing to himself, he would think she looked really pretty in her armor, with her hair up in a long ponytail. Sometimes, he would cheer her on, if she was wrestling one of the guardsmen – and the grin she would give him then was dazzling, accented by the morning sunlight breaking through the mist and the slight sheen of sweat on her face.

So, yes, Eun was in love with her. Very much so, he realized.

Now, all he had to do, was do something about it. But that was hampered by Soon Deok's ability to disappear when he was looking for her. He would be biting his lip, squinting at the revenues from the rice fields versus the trade taxes and the money sent to the capital, and when he was finally done with all those confusing numbers, he would get up, look for her… And not find her.

A week had been going on like that, and he was getting more and more frustrated, up until he couldn't stand it so badly, that he set a trap.

Her favorite spicy beef stew with a side of fluffy white rice and fresh vegetables sat on a tray on the desk in her room, wafting delicious smells into the air. Eun himself lay down under the bed, lying in wait.

When she came in, he would grab her ankle so she wouldn't run away, and then he'd ask her why she was avoiding him, and then tell her that he liked her a lot. "I like you a lot. Can we kiss?" Simple, easy to say, very to-the-point – Eun thought that instead of the romantic ballads and poems most suitors composed, simplicity was better.

That _was_ the plan. Unfortunately, after a while, he got bored. He lay on his back. Then his side. Then his stomach. Then, despite his best efforts, he fell asleep, an arm and a leg sticking out from underneath the bed. And all of this in under five minutes (no, Eun did not have a stellar sense of patience, or any kind of attention span.

"Your Highness, what are you doing?"

Eun jerked awake, hitting his head on something before he could sit up all the way, and curling into a ball with his hands clutching at his head, groaning. "Owww…"

He was pulled out from under the bed and dusted off by a confused-looking Soon Deok. "Are you alright?"

Eun blinked. "Uh, yeah, fine. I'm great." He paused. "Do you… Why're you avoiding me?" he blurted, meeting her eyes. "Are you angry at me because I accidentally cheated at that game? Or because I ate all those tarts you were saving for later?" He winced. "Oh… It was 'cause I spilled ink on your dress that one time, wasn't it." Swallowing his pride, Eun clapped his hands together and lowered his head. "Sorry about that!"

Soon Deok stared at him. "Um… No? That's… That's not it."

Again, Eun blinked. "Was it because I…" Off the top of his head, he couldn't think of anything else he'd done wrong that week, or the week before. Nothing that really jumped out at him as a reason for avoidance, that is. "Why, then?"

"Actually, it's…"

Eun readied himself.

"You know your grandpa can't stand cats, right?" Soon Deok began, and Eun blinked at her. Not the way he expected this conversation to begin.

"They make him ill," Eun confirmed. "He starts sneezing and can't stop."

Soon Deok bit her lip, nodding. "Well, I… I found these kittens. Someone abandoned them, I couldn't just leave them, so I… Well, I made a home for them in the armory, and I keep having to feed them, so I just never had time to talk to you," she said, looking down. "Sorry." Her face brightened a little. "Do you want to see them? They're so cute."

The magnitude of the relieved breath that escaped Eun was immense. "Gods, I love you," he sighed.

Soon Deok's face turned red.

Eun's face also turned red. That wasn't the way he expected his confession to go.

They stared at each other, and it was Soon Deok that spoke first. "I'm not ready to have a baby," she said.

Eun blinked, turning redder, if possible. "I-I just wanted a kiss," he managed to say. "N-not anything like _that_ yet."

Bringing a hand to her lips, Soon Deok gulped. "But that's how women get pregnant," she whispered.

"No, it's not!" Eun exclaimed. "Didn't your dad ever tell you how people have kids? It's like… It's… It's different…" He trailed off in the middle of a hand gesture, covering his face with both hands.

Until Soon Deok pried those hands away and pressed her lips to his in a quick, chaste kiss.

/

"They are _so_ cute!" Eun whispered, his breath hitching as he ran a hand over the furry back of one of the kittens making their home in an old helmet. He watched in fascination as one of them poked its little pink tongue out to lap up the bowl of warm milk Soon Deok had brought.

"I know, right?" Soon Deok rested her hard on his shoulder (a feat, because she was still a little taller than him – but Eun knew for sure that his growth spurt would be coming this year).

"Have you named them yet?" Eun asked.

She shook her head.

There were five in total, three gray, one white and one black. "I'll name them after my brothers." Eun pointed at the black one. "That's So." He pointed at the white one, curled up, far away from his brothers. "That one can be Baek Ah. That little gray one with the dark spot on its face can be Jung." An ash-gray kitten reached out and batted 'So' away from the milk, his amber eyes narrowed. "That one can be Yo," Eun suggested. He sighed, watching the remaining kitten with one white ear make his way around the four of his brothers to get at the milk from the other side. "That one can be Wook, in his memory."

Soon Deok nodded. "Alright."

"By the way, your dad should be coming today, right?" Eun asked.

Nodding again, Soon Deok smiled. "Do you think we should show him the kittens?"

Eun opened his mouth, trying to think of the stern, gruff, scarred General Park playing with a litter of kittens, then closed it. Actually… Maybe he would. "I don't know," he said diplomatically. "Maybe we should."

/

 _The candlelight wavered with every gentle breath of wind from the dark, starry sky. They had left the window open while they had made love, and they had not bothered to get up to close it, the cool night breeze cooling down their sweat-glistening bodies as they curled up half-in half-out of the blankets together. Baek Ah brought Woo Hee closer to himself, humming with content as he absentmindedly ran his fingers over her loose hair. Woo Hee's breathing had slowed and evened out, and she had closed her eyes, laying back against his chest._

 _Her brow was furrowed and Baek Ah playfully smoothed the small crease in her forehead with his thumb. "Are you worried about something?" he asked softly._

 _Woo Hee opened her eyes and immediately, Baek Ah could tell that something was wrong. He could always tell when she was trying to pretend to be happy. "No," she lied. "I'm fine."_

 _Baek Ah huffed, tilting her chin up so she would look at him. "You've always been a terrible liar."_

 _She looked so sad then, and Baek Ah could not fathom why, his own brow creasing in consternation._

 _"Woo Hee… My love…" He shook his head, raking his long, unbound hair back from his face. "You know you can tell me anything."_

 _She lay a hand over his, but her eyes were cast downwards. "I…" she began, but stopped, shaking her head. "I'm a coward," she whispered._

 _At that, Baek Ah sat bolt-upright in bed, giving her a flat look of disapproval. "Woo Hee of Hubaekje," he said, crossing his arms over his slim bare chest, "You are one of the bravest, strongest women- No,_ people _, I've ever met in my entire life." His tone gentled as he took in the bitterness on her face. "Everyone's afraid of something, my love. Even the most stoic and staunch among us. Warriors have fears, kings have weakness, those who smile…" he takes in a breath, "Often wish to weep."_

 _Woo Hee was truly one of the strongest people he knew. She was a gisaeng, and said she came from a poor family, yet she carried herself with the proud, noble bearing of royalty – she was determined, stubborn, she could look death in the face and only raise her chin in defiance. Every morning, she would paint a smile onto her face and hide a dagger in her bodice. And Baek Ah felt as if he was barely worthy of her like this, vulnerable, open, unsure – the side of her only_ he _saw._

 _Her lips trembled and she gathered some of the covers about herself as she also sat, leaning against the wall. "I want to be stronger," she said._

 _"I know," he said simply._

 _"I'm a liar."_

 _"Aren't we all, in one way or another?"_

 _"You're too good for me."_

 _Baek Ah laughed dryly. "Now you really_ are _lying."_

 _She bit her lip, looking away. "Is there anything that would make you stop loving me?" she asked so softly that he thought he had misheard._

 _Baek Ah looked at her oddly, wanting to answer with true honesty, for he knew 'no' wasn't the answer she was looking for. Yet, what if the answer truly_ was _'no'? Somehow, though, 'No, I would love you no matter what,' sounded like a platitude from one child to another before either knows anything but cheer and plenty. He paused for a while, truly contemplating. "I don't know what that would have to be," he said finally. "But I know that you will not do anything that will make me hate you, or stop loving you, because it is_ you _I love – who you are, the things you do. Even the sad, hurt parts, and the angry, destructive parts."_

 _Woo Hee's eyes filled with tears before she dashed them away with an angry swipe of the heel of her hand. "One day…" she said, "I promise to tell you something I've hidden from you. But… I can't now."_

 _He smiled and nodded, opening his arms to her. "I will wait for you."_

 _"Will you?"_

 _Again, he smiled. For her? "Of course."_

/

An old acquaintance in Wang Gyu's house told Baek Ah that General Park had come to visit his daughter and son-in law. Spurred by So's promise, he had saddled a horse and left without saying anything to anyone but Woo Hee, to who he said, "I'll be back in a few days." As he rode out of the gates, he resisted the urge to look back and see Soo standing on the walltops. She would be there, he knew. And perhaps Yo would be with her.

House Ham's holdings in Yanggeun were not the lavish pseudo-palaces that House Yoo and House Ryu had built for themselves, but the manor was sprawled comfortably on a hill, surrounded by orchards on all sides. The surrounding town had wide roads and low roofs, with happily glistening rice fields under the morning sky. Baek Ah wanted to sit down and draw this now, as it was, with the dissipating wisps of morning mist from the mountains, but he was too tired from riding most of the night, and his hands were shaking a little.

When his horse had plodded its way up through the orchard and up to the gates, Baek Ah leapt from the saddle, then winced as a spasm went through his legs. 'This is what you get for sitting and painting when your brothers played at war,' he told himself sternly.

Inside, he was asked to wait in the garden, where he collapsed into a pavilion seat. He must have dozed off, but he woke at the bushes rustling. He shook his head and turned, only to see Eun and Soon Deok sneaking through the garden's finely-kept underbrush, holding a basket of- Were those kittens?

As happy as he was to see his brother and his sister-in law, he didn't want them to know he was here not to visit them, but because he was getting caught up in the game of intrigue that could bring them into danger. Bringing the poison of the capital to a warm place like Yanggeun, Baek Ah felt a stab of guilt. But this was for So's sake, for Soo's sake – for the sake of everyone who suffered under Yo's sharp glare and iron bow-arm.

He sighed and sank down in his seat so they would not see them, and adjusted his robes and hair into an appearance of respectability after his long ride. General Park was like that uncle who everyone liked and no-one wanted to disappoint. 'I might have done it already,' Baek Ah thought, and sighed again.

"Highness?"

Baek Ah sat bolt upright, then stood, bowing. "General Park."

General Park bowed also. "You're here to see this old man and not the tenth prince or my daughter?" he asked, lifting a grizzled eyebrow.

Taking in a deep breath, Baek Ah told himself, 'It's too late to go back,' and said, "Yes."

The general's expression changed from cheerfully confused to slightly grim, and they sat in silence as a servant brought in two cups and a ceramic bottle of wine. When they were alone again, General Park nodded. "Then the situation in the capital is worse than I imagined, if _you're_ coming to speak to me."

"General, do you really support my third brother?" Baek Ah asked. "I will not dishonor you with roundabout talk – I know the value of being able to speak the truth to each other."

General Park drank deeply from his cup. "Whoever is on the throne, I am still of House Park," he said quietly. "Lord Park… He has never made a huge secret out of the fact that he disapproves of Wang Yo – that our feud with House Yoo is still strong, and will always be strong. If someone else wishes to take the throne without House Yoo's support, he will back that person."

"Even if that person is of House Yoo himself, if only by birth?" Baek Ah asked.

General Park's sharp eyes took Baek Ah in for a moment, and he nodded. "The fourth prince is officially still affiliated with House Kang of Shinju."

Baek Ah's eyes widened. "A-are you saying that Park Sul Hui is the one behind my brother's plan to take the throne?" he gasped.

"Lord Park never works directly. I have few doubts."

"Will you back So then?" Baek Ah asked, smiling cautiously. "I thought you would."

"Your father was my friend, and Moo was his heir. I swore to serve both of them, and I did as best I could." General Park did not look into Baek Ah's eyes, a far-away look taking him as he took a sip of wine. "…I used to think serving king and realm was the most important thing in the world. But now that I'm older, my loyalty to the throne and to my House have… Changed."

"Changed?"

He looked at Baek Ah with a shake of his head. "I have a daughter, I have a son-in-law, and they live in a manor on a hill surrounded by orchards. So was a good kid, and he grew up to be a good man." General Park smiled fondly. "If he wins this, I will be the first to bend the knee to him. But both So and Lord Park play a dangerous game, and I won't risk my daughter and her husband for his sake – for anyone's sake." Despite the softness of his voice, there was steel in his eyes, a warning, 'Do not challenge me further.'


	20. Chapter 20

The river rolled peacefully before the prow, sparkling in the sun. Several li up ahead, it would widen out and meet the sea, but so far, not much could be seen through the trees. Red leaves would occasionally flutter down and be swept away in the current.

Yo eyed Hae Soo as she sat in an elegantly draped armchair on the large royal barque. He adjusted the quiver hanging at his back, watching her under the pretense of stringing his bow. The autumn sunlight came through the fringed tassels of the sunshade, casting odd shadows onto her peacefully smiling face and onto her deep eyes. From where he stood at the prow, Yo could not quite make out where her eyes had their focus, but she seemed to notice his gaze, for she lifted a hand in an amused half-wave.

Crossing the deck, Yo leaned against the back of her chair. "Enjoying yourself?" he inquired.

"Of course," Soo said, inclining her head. "Your Majesty is most gracious."

"This?" Yo said with perhaps more incredulity than the situation merited (for he felt as if he needed to show how great he was). "This is nothing. If you wish for such things to happen every day – it would be more than easy."

Soo's lips thinned, but her eyes sparkled. "You'll find, Your Majesty, that I am not so demanding."

"Oh, I know," Yo said, smirking. He lowered his voice, leaning down to speak next to her ear. "I can be demanding enough for both of us."

"I know that, Your Majesty," Soo said dryly, biting her lips to hide a smile as she always did.

The breeze picked up, blowing towards them, lifting their hair, long red leaves flying at them like flaming arrows. Yo plucked one out of the air. "Then," he said, "Give into my demands, my queen, and wear robes in this color for me tomorrow."

"Hmm… Do I even have one like this?" Soo mused. 'Ah, no refusal,' Yo thought, keeping himself from a triumphant smile.

"You will," Yo said, "Tomorrow."

"Then it seems I have no choice," Soo said with a small smile. "Your Majesty has a good eye."

Yo smirked. "Of course I do," he said.

Then, hearing overhead, from far away the sounds of geese, he leapt down onto the narrow prow, reaching over his shoulder for an arrow and nocking it as his keen eyes took in the triangular formation of birds. A pause, a smirk, and he loosed his arrow.

Just as he turned towards Soo again, the dead bird fell to the deck between them, startling an attendant with a bowl of fruit for the queen.

Looking back, dead birds may not have been the best way to show his affection, nor to show off his prodigious skills. Soo's eye twitched, and one corner of her mouth lifted while the other dipped. "Oh," she said.

Currently, however, Yo was extremely proud of himself as he hefted the goose, grinning up at her. "What do you think, little wife?" he asked, with perhaps more eagerness than he would ever care to admit.

/

'He's like a cat. Hunting and then bringing dead birds to me. And that expression… So smug,' Soo thought, unable to keep from laughing aloud. "Good shot, Your Majesty," she said through her giggles.

/

Woo Hee crossed her arms as Won smiled, lifting a cup to her in a wordless toast. By the sharp wind that swirled in through the open window, she could tell that autumn was well afoot, and by the unfathomable look in Won's eyes that something else was afoot, also. "Why are you here?" she asked.

"Would you believe me if I said it was for the pleasure of your company alone?" Won asked mildly.

"The knife in my bodice thinks otherwise," Woo Hee said, her lips thinning.

"You really don't like me, do you…" Won sighed, shaking his head. "A joke. It was but a joke," he said. "I'm here to inform you of a few things. Yo doesn't trust So enough to stay even in the same realm with him, and what will likely happen is that he will be sent to Khitan as an ambassador. Out of sight, out of mind."

"Again?" Woo Hee asked. "He's been in Khitan before, hasn't he?"

"Again." Won's smile widened. "But he won't be going. Someone else will go instead, someone who's loyal to So, whoever that may be. A prince, with the right mannerisms and education to be a good ambassador. I'll change the announcements to Khitan so that they can expect him. But we need someone who can take on that role for a while. Perhaps you can suggest a candidate?"

"You," Woo Hee said flatly.

Won clutched at his chest dramatically, chuckling. "I'm wounded, dear lady – you want to get rid of me?" He shook his head. "No, I'm afraid I will have to inflict my presence on Goryeo for a little while longer. Would you consider _my_ suggestion, then?"

"I'm not going to _consider_ anything before you tell me what it is," Woo Hee said, crossing her arms.

Won shook his head, smiling a little. "You remind me very much of my sister when you do that," he said. Woo Hee stared at him, trying to fathom how a single remark like that could put her so on edge as she was now. "But that's beside the point," he said with a sigh. "My suggestion is thus; Baek Ah."

Woo Hee didn't miss a beat. "No."

"Oh, so you _don't_ want him to be out of harm's way during what will essentially be the beginning of a civil war?" Arching both eyebrows Won cocked his head to the side.

"Yes, Khitan – _so_ much safer," Woo Hee threw back sarcastically. "I am _not_ allowing Baek Ah to be thrown into the lion's den."

Won's small smile and shake of the head were oddly soft. "Ah, but if I were to ask him, what would his answer be? You see, it's _his_ choice, ultimately."

"Ultimately, it's Wang So's choice," snapped Woo Hee. "And Baek Ah happens to be his favorite brother." She picked up a fan, idly opening and closing it, a nervous gesture at odds with the steely anger in her eyes.

"Yes, dear Baek Ah is quite popular," drawled Won, "Which might make him rather displeasing to our current monarch. Yo is already suspicious. Baek Ah will have to be careful in Khitan, but unlike here, he isn't specifically wanted dead."

Woo Hee's gaze was sharp as she turned on Won. "Wang Yo specifically wants Baek Ah dead?"

"He is suspicious. And we all know what happens when the king is suspicious – look at Wook." He paused. "Or, rather, you can't." He paused again, getting no response from Woo Hee. "Because he's dead."

Woo Hee's lips pulled together in one tight line as she snapped her fan closed.

/

 _A smile. A glance over the rim of a teacup. A gleaming sword and a rearing horse. Each piece of armor reflecting the starry sky as it falls to the ground. Whispered words. "Will I be a good king?"_

 _The stars are immovable. A smile. A pain lancing through the chest. A lie. "The best."_

/

"What do you see in those stars, my Lord Astronomer?"

Ji Mong started, turning away from the sky and towards the approaching ninth prince. "The throne," he said quietly.

"Ah, yes. Goryeo's golden throne, the only thing keeping the three kingdoms together." Won smiled.

"As it should." Picking a fight with the ninth prince was not wise, but Ji Mong did not feel entirely wise tonight. Leaning against the battlements, a bottle in his hand, he had so little to lose… And yet, what could he do? He remained unmoving.

Won took a few steps forward to face him, torchlight flickering across his face. "It seems almost to bely belief that through your stellar guidance my father was able to take it for his own."

"I only read the stars, Your Highness. Taejo Wang Geon's victory was his own doing," Ji Mong said, lowering his head in the beginnings of a bow.

"You disappoint me, Ji Mong," Won said, shaking his head, smiling widely. "What of the four generals that directed him and the nobles who backed them? History is useless – why do we even remember it?"

"We write down our history so that we do not repeat the same mistakes again," Ji Mong said mildly.

Won gave a dismissive wave of his hand. "History was written by the conquerors. A lie that we repeat over and over until we forget it's a lie, just like the throne, or the realm, or power."

"Power resides where people believe it resides, nothing more, nothing less. Loyalty is power."

"And people's loyalties are such fickle things, aren't they? Swayed by the clink of coin, a woman's sigh, a whisper in the right ear…" Won's low voice was full of amusement.

"Not everyone is so easily corrupted," Ji Mong argued.

Won raised an eyebrow. "Corrupted? Such a strong word. If I were to tell you one thing that is true in history, is that no matter how honorable someone is, there is something they will not give up for their beliefs." He spread his arms. "Even the most stalwart can be persuaded, if not with the promise of pleasure, then with a dagger pressed against their throat, or a noose around a loved one's neck."

Unable to resist a smile, Ji Mong shrugged. "And that is why an honorable man with nothing to lose is the most fearsome thing in the world." 'Once he learns to let Lady Soo go, he will be unstoppable. He should understand. It's the sacrifice everyone has to make to gain the throne,' Ji Mong thought. 'And I… I will get my revenge, honorable or not.'

"Oh, everyone has something to lose. You just have to look closely."

"You have such a cynical worldview. I worry about you, you know, Your Highness," Ji Mong said wryly.

"Cynical? Far from it. I'm honest. I know the truth when I see it, and I cannot bring myself to lie to myself. That's the worst kind of liar, you know. One who lies to himself." His smile was wide. "No – I love the truth. And the truth is the game, Ji Mong. The game _you_ play, the game I play, that the Hubaekje princess plays, that Lord Park plays, Lord Wang plays, Queen Yoo… All of us play it." Won shrugged, smiling. "Whether you enjoy it or not is a different question entirely, but the truth remains. The _game_ remains."

Ji Mong wanted to shudder a little, but he only inclined his head a little.

Wang Won inclined his head also. "Thank you. Our conversation has been most enlightening," he said.

Ji Mong bowed to his retreating back, his usually mild eyes filled with a burning hatred.

/

 _It was the dead of summer; the cicadas wouldn't shut up, and Chungju sweltered in the sunlight. The third queen's manse stood on its hill, bearing the full brunt of the punishing heat. "Hey!" Yo shouted, rapping on the doorframe with his knuckles. "Get your nose out of your dusty texts – it's time to train!"_

 _From inside the room, there was a rustling, a muffled curse and a thump – Tae had probably tripped, again – and finally, the second prince was at the door, topknot askew, an ink-smudge on his round cheek. He peered at Yo, and Yo realized with a twinge that Tae's vision was getting even worse. "Oh, gods…" he muttered. "I was right in the middle of a good book, too…"_

 _"You'll finish it after we're done," Yo said dismissively._

 _"You could benefit from reading a bit more, you know," Tae said. "Military strategy, governance… Things you need to know. It is taxing but useful – you could learn a lot from me, Yo."_

 _Yo looked flatly at Tae. "Yes, and I suppose learning to stumble around like a blind cow comes as part of the deal?" he teased._

 _"Now, is that any way to speak to your elders and betters?" Tae asked mildly, smiling to show he was joking._

 _Yo raised his eyebrows and smirked arrogantly. "Elder you may be, Tae, but tell me about 'betters' when you're able to keep hold of your sword for more than a minute._ Jung's _more of a challenge than you are."_

 _Tae looked ruefully down at his pale, pudgy hands, stained with ink – holding no calluses from sword or bow. "I_ would _be offended that you compared me to a seven-year-old, but I know you're right. I stand corrected," he muttered. "I suppose Mother wishes to humiliate me by having you train me today, again?"_

 _Yo shrugged. "Something like that," he admitted. "I'll go easy."_

 _Tae rolled his eyes. "A little difficult when she's breathing down your neck and shrieking, 'No mercy!', isn't it, Yo?" he admonished, holding out his arm and pulling his sleeve up to expose a bruise._

 _"If you'd fight back, maybe that wouldn't happen," Yo grumbled, hiding the little blossom of guilt rising in him under more snark. "Sometimes I can't believe you're older than me."_

 _"Oh, come on. Yes, you can. I'm still quite a bit taller than you." Tae stroked his round chin and grinned. "I could even grow a beard if I wanted."_

 _That was a sore point for Yo, who hadn't started his growth spurt yet. "Let's go already," he said quickly, dragging Tae out by his other arm._

 _In the training yard, Yo tossed Tae a wooden practice sword, but his older brother fumbled and managed to hit himself in the head with it, stumbling a little. The sun was out and shining, and the yard was empty, the whickering of horses from the stables nearby barely audible. Yo had already finished archery practice, and the well-perforated targets had been moved out of the way to give more space to the sparring princes._

 _Yo moved into a stance, and Tae did so as well, fixing his failing eyes on Yo. "Now's the time to 'go easy,' as you said," he suggested._

 _Smirking, Yo shook his head. "It never makes a difference anyway, does it?"_

 _"It's the thought that counts." Tae smiled a little and charged._

 _There was a clatter as their 'blades' met, and Yo easily pushed Tae back. He darted forward and tapped his brother's leg. "Watch that," he called, "Or you'll be one leg short in a battle."_

 _Tae just barely parried a blow from Yo. "And how many battles have_ you _been in, little brother?" he panted._

 _"More than you!" Yo retorted, tapping Tae's shoulder and dancing out of reach, blowing his hair out of his face._

 _"Beating up Won when he steals your desserts isn't a real battle-_ Ouch _!" Tae laughed breathlessly, then got knocked in the arm by Yo, a little harder than before._

 _The first sparring match ended with Tae's wooden sword spinning from his hand, and Yo's poking Tae in the chest. Tae raised his hands. "I yield," he said, trying to get his breath back._

 _"You're dead," Yo retorted. "Let's do that again, but this time, actually watch my sword."_

 _Tae shook his head. "Such disrespect to your elder brother…" he sighed. "In a contest of intellectual pursuits, I would have you, you insolent boy." He rubbed the back of his sleeve across his damp face._

 _Yo smirked. "I'll move more slowly this time, Honored Elder Brother," he replied. "Be sure not to trip over your sword, oh Wise One of Many Talents."_

 _Yo thought he could hear his older brother muttering something like, "You little shit…" but he could have been wrong. Picking up his sword, Tae swung at Yo but missed, and Yo tapped him across his ample stomach with a laugh._

 _"Are you even trying?"_

 _Tae stumbled and caught himself. "_ Yes _," he snapped indignantly. "Trying and succeeding aren't the same thing, though," he added ruefully._

 _Yo rolled his eyes. "Come on. Don't leave yourself open."_

 _Tae grumbled something rude and moved into a careful stance, Yo mirroring him. The dust settled under their boots and they stood still, evaluating each other, or rather, Tae evaluating Yo, and Yo forcing himself to be patient. His bored gaze flicked from the stables to the gates, to the manse, then up to the balcony._

 _Queen Yoo met her son's eyes from where she sat._

 _How long had she been watching? Yo knew she disapproved when he laughed with Tae, when he showed him kindness and treated him as more-or-less an equal. And now she looked at him, and he had no idea what he was supposed to do, torn between his duty to his mother and love for his older brother. If Tae tried harder to train instead of reading and writing all the time, maybe Mother would treat him better! She fixed him with her gaze and said something neither of them could hear._

 _But Yo knew what it was. "Don't be weak."_

 _When Tae charged again, Yo parried his blow with much more force than necessary, spinning him off balance, and hitting him in the knee. Tae let out a cry and went down on his other knee, bringing his arms up to shield himself from a third blow._

 _Yo felt sick, but only drew back for a moment, giving Tae enough time to rise, then rushed him again, hitting him on the wrist before he could bring his sword up to block. The wooden sword spun from his older brother's grip and fell to the ground, dust puffing up around it._

 _He was full of energy, pulsing with a frenzy of it. Tae picked his sword up, resignation to being beaten in his eyes, and Yo pushed down the guilt as he pounded blow after blow on his older brother, Tae only blocking half._

 _Up on the balcony, Queen Yoo smiled. In that moment, as he looked up at his mother for validation, Yo missed a blow that was supposed to land on the side of Tae's shoulder._

 _There was a sickening crack._

 _Yo had hit Tae in the side of the head. Tae went down like a sack of rice, crumpling to the ground. His wide open, unseeing eyes reflected the sky._

 _For a moment that lasted as long as a millennium, Yo simply stood there, numb, staring. Tae's mouth was partially open, as if about to say something, knees folded underneath himself, arms flung out askew. His round face was pale, oddly colored, a trickle of blood making a thin strip down his temple._

 _Yo dropped his sword and fell to his knees beside Tae._

 _A voice he didn't recognize as his kept saying, "Get up!" Trembling hands reached out and kept shaking Tae's shoulder, but Tae did not move at all. Yo's face was all wet but it wasn't raining._

 _For a moment, it felt as if he was some other boy, looking down on the sprawled second prince and incoherently blabbering third prince. 'What's wrong with him?' that distant boy asked. 'Why is he like that?'_

 _A voice answered, speaking the truth, and it did not belong to him, either._

 _When he looked up at the balcony for help with red-rimmed eyes, Queen Yoo was gone and he was well and truly alone._

 _That night, there was a thunderstorm._

 _Three days later, in a small act of rebellion, an exhausted, grieving prince finished a book that his older brother would never get to._

/

Yo shot up in bed, his breaths hoarse, shoulders heaving, strands of hair falling down into his face. For a moment, he clutched at his wildly beating heart, and when that calmed, he rose, throwing a golden over-robe over his shoulders, pulling his boots on.

He made barely any sound as he crossed the floorboards, down the hallway to Soo's heavily-guarded room. The guards said nothing as he slipped inside.

The inside was pitch dark, but for a pale stripe of starlight through a gap in the window. Unsure of how to announce his presence, Yo paused, but the window suddenly flew open, and Soo sat up in bed, a crossbow in one hand, a string that stretched from the shutters in the other. 'ingenious,' is Yo's first thought. His second thought was something less coherent.

Hae Soo was _radiant_. Her eyes burned with a determination he had seen only a few times before, and her hands did not shake as she pointed the crossbow at him. Her eyes seemed to glow in the half-light, and her hair, down around her shoulders, gleamed and lifted on the breeze like the wings of a raven. His mouth suddenly felt dry. Something about a beautiful woman pointing a weapon at him… This sight was not one he disliked.


	21. Chapter 21

Yo stepped forward out into the wider shaft of light falling from the window, raising his hands with a wry amusement. "Would this be considered treason, I wonder?" he asked.

Soo lowered the crossbow immediately, a hand flying up to her mouth. "Oh!" she exclaimed, eyes widening. "I didn't see it was Your Majesty. I just… Reacted."

"Evidently."

"Was there something you needed, Your Majesty?" she asked.

Yo made a show of covering his mouth as he yawned, sitting down on her bed, then stretching out on his side, looking up at her with a raised eyebrow, as if daring her to say anything. "Something I need? Do you want a numbered list?" he snorted, tracing aimless patterns with a fingertip on the silken blanket.

Soo raised her eyebrows, saying nothing. 'Two can play at this game,' she seemed to say with her deep, shining eyes, her pink lips barely stretching in amusement, eyelashes as dark and thick as an ink-dipped brush dipping low.

"…Peace," Yo finally said.

Soo nodded. "A dream?" she asked softly.

Yo didn't answer, entirely ignoring her question. He smirked. "Oddly enough, for one so embroiled in chaos, you give me peace often."

"It's hardly my fault," Soo said. "The embroilment, I mean." She shifted back under the blankets, pulling her hair back behind her shoulders, pulling her robe more closely about herself.

Yo mourned the sudden inability to see her collarbone, but consoled himself with the hope that perhaps more could come of his visit than simply peace. Knowing her, however… 'I have no idea what's going to happen.' In answer to her defensiveness, his smirk simply widened. "Says the woman who threw herself in front of my arrows to protect a man she did not care for."

Soo's face turned carefully blank, but after years, Yo finally knew how to get past that. "I simply did what I thought was right, Your Majesty. I don't think there will come a day when I will apologize for that."

"I admire that," Yo suddenly said, and smirked internally as Soo looked up at him with shock. 'Being utterly frank with her yields results, for some reason.' "Perhaps not your pretty ideals, but your determination… The strength you draw upon when you find it necessary; that is an admirable thing." He smirked externally. "And not unattractive."

Her lips tightened together in a look that said she was both disapproving and trying not to smile. Strands of hair fell forward as she dipped her head to further hide her face. "I'm flattered," she said dryly.

"Other attractive things," Yo began, "Are as follows; weapo-"

Soo could not suppress a small laugh and he stopped speaking. "Your Majesty, there was a time when you told me you found me entirely unattractive, you know."

Yo shrugged. "I've revised my opinion. It is important for a wise ruler to acknowledge his mistakes," he reached out to hold up a finger, "And not make them again. Hence, the flirting, my queen."

Another half-laugh, and she turned slightly away from him, more hair falling to hide her face, until Yo could only see the curve of her cheek almost glowing in the faint starlight. "Then have you fallen in love with me, Your Majesty?" she asked, her tone playful. But Yo could not see her face.

"Love?" Yo asked, sitting up. He shrugged easily. "Does such a thing exist? I do not believe it. You are beautiful, I enjoy your company, and I trust you more than anyone in this palace, than anyone in the realm." Saying such a thing, despite the forced evenness of his voice, was immensely difficult. Yet necessary. "I wish to have you. I wish to have a queen by my side and not simply an amiable hostage." He pressed forward. "Love is a foolish thing. And I am king of Goryeo, I cannot afford to be a fool, even for you."

Hae Soo was silent, her eyes dark.

Yo stood up, ready to leave, smoothing out the front of his robe.

Soo caught the edge of his sleeve. "Wait- I… Please wait."

He did.

"I appreciate your honesty, Your Majesty." She smiled, leaning forward slightly, and the front of her robe slipped a few inches more open. "Though what you described does have some resemblance to the concept of love, you know."

"Does it?" he asked with a forced aura of uncaring, a smirk, a raised eyebrow. "Then do you love me, Hae Soo?"

Her lips twitched slightly up. "I could learn to, I think," she said.

Yo's smirk widened and his eyes darkened as he leaned over. "Is that an invitation, my queen?"

Soo's smile turned playful and she leaned back, away from him, a smooth, pale shoulder slipping free of her robes. "Perhaps." Her eyes were also dark and he could see himself there, reflected. Her tongue darted out to wet her lips.

"I'll take that as a yes, then," he said, bracing himself above her.

"Perceptive as always, Your Ma-," she began, but was cut off by his mouth over hers.

/

Hands were joined, fingers threaded through each other, pressed into the bed. Gasps were lost in each other's mouths, silken robes were untied. Muffled, breathless laughs sounded, and marks were left on the other's body; a bite mark on her shoulder, scratches down his back, still others uncounted but throbbing. The curtains around her bed fluttered.

This, perhaps, reflected Yo, as they lay side-by-side in the aftermath, was one of the wisest things he'd done that entire week.

He was about to ask if Hae Soo agreed, but she was already fast asleep.

/

Soo woke up first. Waking early was ingrained in her now, even after so many years of having no duties as a court lady. The sun had not yet risen, but there was a pale gray, pre-dawn light. She had forgotten to close the window, being otherwise occupied. Her cheeks warmed.

Beside her, Yo slept like the dead on his stomach, head turned away from her, hair splayed out on the pillow, the blanket slipping down to show Soo the damage she'd inflicted on him. She tried to suppress a snort. 'He liked it.' It'd been literal _years_ since she'd last gotten laid, and now she felt much more pleasantly disposed than ever before. They'd figure out the 'emotional' aspect later, make it all up as they went – they were adults after all.

She felt no stab of guilt when she recalled So's much gentler caress, and nothing but aversion when remembering Wook. And before… In another life, she had fallen for different men, different boys, and in different ways, they'd let each other down.

This would be different, she felt. She had never been girlishly infatuated with Yo as she had with Wook, nor was Yo so overcome by fierce love as So had been. This could work. It wouldn't work like anything she'd experienced before, but it could work. Perhaps it was just the aftermath of several rounds of exceptionally good sex, but she was in an intensely positive mindset. The endorphins were doing wonders for her mood.

She dressed quickly, shutting the window, feeling the autumn chill keenly on her skin even inside her bedchamber. When she was pinning her hair up, winding coils of it in a queen's chignon, Yo finally woke up.

He stretched languidly, spine crackling, then put a hand under his chin as he watched her finish her hairdo. His silken trews were slung low across his hips. "You seem to be one of the few women who can do that without the help of an army of servants," he pointed out. "I admire that."

Soo smiled. "Ah, now I know how I've managed to seduce Your Majesty – it was my hairstyling skills."

"No," Yo said. He grinned. "It was your crossbow and your breasts, but the look in your eyes was-"

She cut him off with a look. "Your Majesty has court to hold this morning. Perhaps you would be better served by being dressed in your robes of office?"

"They can wait." He smirked. Soo knew what that smirk meant.

"Your Majesty, I literally _just_ got dressed," she said, giving him a very flat look, refusing to acknowledge the heat that rose to her cheeks unbidden. "The ministers would not take kindly to you…" she tried to think of a Goryeo-appropriate term for 'sex', "… _Canoodling_ with your consort when Your Majesty should be absorbed in matters of state."

Yo sighed. "You may be right, Hae Soo," he said, rising and carelessly throwing his robe back on, "But that doesn't mean I'm happy about it." He smirked. "I suppose we will have time for… 'Canoodling' later."

/

When Yeon Hwa first felt her child kick, she had been reading to a report of events in the capital. She sat in her chambers in Won's manse, eating sliced apple, a servant handing her the rolled-up missive. With the resources of the Hwangbo nearly spent, what with the death of her brother and the loss of support from House Park, Yeon Hwa's network of information had narrowed drastically. Over the past few years, she had been trying to rebuild it – and in this, now, she leaned on Won's informants for help.

So had stayed in the capital for a week, there had been an attempted assassination of Lady Hae Soo, the Queen Mother had been sent away, and then So left for Seokyeong again – the fortress in its final stage of completion. And the king had been getting closer and closer to Lady Hae. If he had favored her before, it was nothing compared to now.

Yeon Hwa's lips twisted. She cared nothing for Yo, but what did this look like for her? What of her status? Sent away to an unknown location for an unknown time, for an unknown reason – and people _talked_ and people always assumed the worst. Even though it was one of the most foolish things she could do, what with Lord Park after her, Yeon Hwa wished she could scream, ' _I'm bearing his heir! A crown prince!_ '

Prince Gyungchunwon would never hold the throne – his mother was the daughter of Park Sul Hui, and a Yoo king would rather die than give the throne to one of House Park. Yeon Hwa took a breath. 'Be patient' she told herself. 'Be patient – and you will triumph. It may take years, but Goryeo will be mine.'

And then she felt him.

The boy kicked. A tiny flutter of energy, of life inside her. A triumphant smile came to her face even as tears of overwhelming love for this tiny being rose to her eyes. She cradled her rounded belly. If she had wanted the throne before, it was nothing compared to the grasping determination she felt now. "This Goryeo will definitely belong to my son," she whispered.

She felt another kick, as if in answer. 'It will be mine, and yours.'

/

Yo's nightmares did not entirely leave him, but sleeping by Soo's side seemed to alleviate them somewhat. Autumn grew ever colder, and Baek Ah came back from Yanggeun with cheery news of Eun and Soon Deok, his lute hanging over his back, a jar of old Yanggeun wine from Wang Gyu's cellars in his hand.

As for Jung, despite his prodigious strength and habit of wearing his sword by his side at all time, he seemed to grow paler and more drawn, eyes dark and shadowed as if he was not sleeping enough. He did not smile as much as he had, but with Soo, it was barely noticeable. And somehow, whether it was through Soo's suddenly fuller days, she saw him less and less.

"Are you alright?" she asked him once as they dined with Baek Ah. "You look a bit… Peaky."

Jung smiled, a shadow of his previous boyish grin. "Oh, I'm fine, Soo," he said. He had shrugged and Baek Ah had told Soo about an adventure he'd had on the way back from Yanggeun involving a donkey, a bushel of apples, and an angry cabbage farmer.

She came upon Jung in the library one evening. The leaves had almost all fallen, leaving the trees bare, dark silhouettes against the gray sky, and the air crackled with cold, though no snow had fallen yet and the winter months were not supposed to start yet. Soo was cold, and the cold wasn't good for her knee, so she mostly stayed inside, reading in the library. It had fallen late, and she did not want to move from her warm seat where she sat curled up, surrounded by furs, a surprisingly fascinating book on governance keeping her rooted in place.

Soo only noticed she had company when Jung cleared his throat. He held a lantern, books cradled in the other arm. A sword hung from his belt, somehow both seeming a part of him and innocuous in the dim library. "Hello," he said with a small grin. "What're you reading?"

"Good evening, Your Highness," Soo said, suppressing a yawn. She held the book up for his inspection, slipping a pressed flower in between the pages as a bookmark. "I didn't know you liked to read."

He slid into the seat next to her, putting his lantern and books down. "A new hobby, I guess," he said. "I've had plenty of time to catch up on my reading."

"You're not sleeping," Soo said quietly. It was only the two of them, and he was her _friend_ , damn it, why couldn't he confide in her?

Jung shrugged, looking away from her into a shadow corner of the library. "Sometimes it's better," he said.

"And have you talked to the palace physician about a cure?" Soo pressed. "At least, talk to me, okay?"

Jung only shook his head.

Soo glared at him, rising from her warm nest of furs, putting her hands on her hips. "Your Highness, I'm worried about you!" she said sternly. "Taking care of yourself is part of being an adult!" Her lips thinned. "Alright. I'll make you a list of the herbs you'll need to help you sleep, and maybe something to help you relax, since you're so tense all the time. If you don't want to tell me what's wrong, that's fine – I don't want to push you. But you're my friend, Wang Jung, and I won't think badly of you, because I know that you judge yourself too harshly, and I trust that you wouldn't do anything bad."

Looking up at her, Jung's eyes momentarily glistened brightly with what seemed like tears, but then he blinked and Soo wondered if she had imagined it. He smiled. "Thank you," he said simply. In what seemed like a jerkily reflexive action, he took her hand, warmly gripping it with both of his. "Thank you," he repeated, then quickly let it go.


	22. Chapter 22

Seokyeong crackled with cold, as if the air itself wished it could turn to frost, and the dark stones of the Pyongyang fortress radiated chill. Yet, despite this, it refused to snow. Ever since he had first come here to supervise the building of the fortress, So had taken up residence in the half-finished fortress itself instead of his uncle's manse. Wang Shik Ryeom and his mother had always been close, both in their opinions and in their goals. So wished to avoid the man at all cost.

Yet, occasionally, Lord Wang would come to look at the progress so that he could also report it – Yo did not trust So at all, but Lord Wang trusted him even less. That made gathering the disgruntled men of Hubaekje that much harder; Lord Wang's eyes on him always. But So was used to this. He could circumvent his mother's spies, he could circumvent Yo's, so circumventing his uncle's would not be anything new.

Dressed in a heavy, fur-lined cloak, So stood on the east walltop and looked over at the remaining wall to be finished. Even despite stalling the building all he could, the fortress seemed to be rising quickly. He consoled himself with the thought that the great gates had yet to be made. His breath misted in front of him as he sighed.

Pyongyang fortress had once been one of the greatest fortresses in Goguryeo, but even before Taejo's time, it had fallen into disrepair and ruin, overrun by bandit savages from the north that had ruled the border between northern Goguryeo and Khitan. When So's father had taken the three failing kingdoms, forged them into Goryeo and chased out the bandits, he had sent Wang Shik Ryeom north and west to Seokyeong with orders to make the it as great as it had been in the time of Goguryeo. He was given the title of Warden, and funds to make Taejo's vision true. But there were whispers that it was a punishment in the form of a reward, sent away from the capital for one thing or another; a half-formed plot, a dalliance with one of the king's women (unlikely, but people liked to talk).

Now, it was So restoring the fortress to its' former glory. Again, he sighed. The cold stung his cheeks and he tried not to think of Soo, and how her knee must hurt in the cold, or how she was all alone in the palace. 'Not alone,' So reminded himself. 'She has Baek Ah. And Jung, for whatever that counts.'

A man came to him, yet another nameless, dark-clothed servant of Lord Wang's house. "Your Highness. Lord Wang has arrived. He bids me say he will come to you shortly."

So nodded once.

Lord Wang walked as if the world owed him something. He did not flaunt his wealth _tastelessly_ , but he did flaunt it (an important distinction), and his eyes were sharp under thick, iron-gray eyebrows. "Nephew," he said flatly, in greeting.

Another way of demeaning So, never acknowledging his princely status. So didn't let it get to him – Lady Kang had called him worse. "Uncle," he said in the same tone. "What brings you here?"

"Lord Kim Haeng Pa's youngest cousin is being married to one of Lord Ryu Cheon Gung's nephews," Lord Wang said. "The celebration is being held in Seokyeong, at my house. You have not shown your face at any social gatherings for years. Perhaps it is time for you to let the nobles know you are still alive." His lips twisted mockingly.

It was both a dig at So's reclusive tendency and at his choice of company in the past years. Now, more than ever, So spent time among the workers, among the commoners, even when he was not rallying them to his clandestine cause. He sat with them, he drank with them, and even if he did not say much, and they were wary of him, he felt more at home among them than among any of the nobles he'd ever met. 'Except Baek Ah and sometimes Eun and Soon Deok. And Soo-' but he stopped himself there, refusing to let himself think about her.

So remained silent.

"There will be an archery competition, and a test of swordsmanship," Lord Wang added. "I have already boasted that your swordsmanship is renowned among the princes. Will you embarrass me?" He didn't add, 'More than you already are,' but it was implicit.

His lips tightening, So finally turned away from the view of the inside of the fortress and towards his uncle. "To what do I owe the honor of this invitation?" he asked. There was no way Lord Wang had no ulterior motive.

Lord Wang smirked. "When you are sent away to the cold edge of the realm due to a king's displeasure, there are always rumors that reflect badly on the king. It is an honor to be rebuilding Goryeo to match the glory of former kingdoms. Show it. Drink. Compete. Don't wear all black."

"You want me to attend so that His Majesty looks good?" So asked flatly.

Lord Wang rolled his eyes. "Essentially," he said dryly. "And who knows? Perhaps a daughter of some noble lord will catch your eye."

So's jaw tightened. "I do not wish to get married."

"You're already engaged to Princess Gyung Hwa, late king Hyejong's daughter," pointed out Lord Wang easily. "If she is to be your second wife, you must first have a first wife."

"I do not wish to get married," repeated So.

"I now begin to understand why Yo found you tiresome," muttered Lord Wang. His eyebrows rose, and he inclined his head. "Until the wedding, then," he said, and turned, his richly embroidered, fur-lined cloak furling out behind him.

So glowered after him.

It began to snow.

/

"Chae Ryung, sweetling, can you do something for me?"

Trying not to choke with emotion, Chae Ryung nodded wildly. "Anything, Your Highness!"

He put a scroll in her palm, closing her fingers around it with his own hand and pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Take this to the gyobang, won't you?" He smiles. "If you're a good girl, I may reward you."

Chae Ryung's cheeks flushed brightly. "Y-yes, Your Highness!"

/

So wore only black to the wedding just for the sake of displeasing his uncle. He wore his sword by his side, wrapped himself in a dark cloak, rode in alone, without a retinue – and, as a final defiance, put on his mask as he neared the front gates of Lord Wang's estate.

Sunlight gleamed off the frozen snow that bordered the path and laid on the eaves and gables of the manse's roof. The yard was pure white with the sharp, dark angles of bare trees deeply contrasting. The pond was frozen over, the horse's breath and his own misted in small clouds in front of their faces. Even from outside the gates, So could hear the sounds of laughter and music and see the red decorations pasted all over the manse itself.

He felt the press of gazes against him as the gates opened, and he rode in. he leapt from his horse and strode in before he could be announced.

The bride and the groom sat at the head of the table, clothed in gold and red, music was played, the table almost creaked under the weight of all the dishes laid upon it. Guests stood and sat around, and there were gisaeng like brightly-colored butterflies flitting around and pouring drinks. One woman played the gayageum somewhere in the background while two others danced, their silken skirts swirling around their calves.

Lord Wang saw So over the shoulder of a young retainer of House Kim, and raised a cup. His voice was loud enough to be heard as he said, "Ah, nephew, I wondered if you would join us."

So only inclined his head. He stood back and leaned against the wall, arms folded over his chest, surveying the revelry with distaste. The last wedding he had been at was Hae Soo's – and that had probably been the worst wedding in the history of weddings. His aura and expression were shown to be so obviously unpleasant that no-one seemed to want to talk to him to the point of outright, blatant avoidance. So was used to such treatment, and even encouraged it, sending sharp glares to anyone who approached within two feet of him.

He cast his gaze around the room, bored, and when they fell on one particular gisaeng, his eyes widened.

Woo Hee was the woman who had been playing the gayageum, and when she rose, not bent over, with hair falling to obscure her face, So recognized her. And she recognized him.

Across the room, she gave him a barely perceptible shake of the head. 'We cannot be seen together.' Her eyes flicked to the door. 'Later.'

So nodded slightly, then continued scanning the room. There was a reason why Woo Hee had left the capital and come here, and he suppressed his worry that something had happened, or that they had been discovered. He didn't have an army yet…

Lord Wang spoke to Lord Kim Eok Ryeom, and So wanted to laugh at how uncomfortable the both of them looked, Lord Wang with a tight smile and Lord Kim with a painfully straight posture. Holding this wedding in Lord Wang's house had clearly been self-satisfied Lord Ryu Cheon Gung's idea – the fat old man sat at the foot of the table, already drinking, cheeks and nose red.

And then the gates opened once more, and another guest rode in with no retinue, alone on his horse, the same way So had come. When he leapt off his horse and allowed his cloak to fall back, So had to suppress a wide grin.

Baek Ah smiled brightly as he stepped inside. "Apologies for my lateness, my lords, ladies, and other assorted nobles," he said, inclining his head and winking at So. "But now that I'm here, I believe that this party can truly get started!"

The room shook with good-natured laughter, even stiff Lord Kim smiled, and derisive Lord Wang's shoulders dropped with a modicum of relaxation.

Out of the corner of his eye, So noticed Woo Hee slipping away, and before Baek Ah could notice her, he stepped away from the wall and towards the thirteenth prince, heart twinging at the deception. He did not have to fake his smile. "Baek Ah," he said, gripping tightly to his hand. "You have no idea how glad I am to see you."

Baek Ah smiled. "Oh, I think I do. The expression on your face is worth a thousand words." He reached out and snagged a lordling around the shoulders, waving over a few gisaeng and Lord Kim, along with many others whose names So had never bothered to learn. And with the ease typical of Baek Ah, he started telling a story that happened to one of his 'friends' on the way to Yanggeun. (If the audience knew that this had happened to Baek Ah himself, they would have been more than a little scandalized, So realized with a hidden grin.)

Before he knew it, So was actually enjoying himself. And when he laughed, many others laughed with him.

/

So had never been a good archer, but his swordsmanship was excellent, not only because he had an excellent teacher like General Park, but because he also seemed to have a natural aptitude for ripping things to shreds. And he'd had plenty of experience with that.

These matches of swordsmanship with blunted swords were to serve as entertainment for the guests and newly-wedded, but they were also popularity contests and subtle reminders of the grudges people held outside of these perfectly decent social gatherings. Therefore, when So had been chosen by Lord Wang to compete, giving everyone a channel for their frustration to focus on instead of other feuds. It was smart of Lord Wang, So gave him that. But Lord Wang obviously didn't expect So to do as well as he was.

He faced opponent after opponent, blunted sword whacking against padded armor, expression almost bored. After the tenth person So knocked to the ground, to the sound of Lord Ryu's uproarious drunk laughter, Lord Kim's polite clap (and approving looks), Baek Ah's wolf-whistle – Lord Wang suggested they go through with the archery competition. So smirked. Lord Wang did not even honor him with a glare, but Baek Ah rolled his eyes.

"Show-off," he said, once So took off his armor.

"Hey! It was my lord uncle's idea, you know," So said.

The archery competition was so-so, no outstanding talents, or maybe it was just that So was comparing them to Yo, who was on an entirely different level. 'Once you've seen a master at work, I suppose, no-one else can really compare.' So hated Yo from the depths of his soul, but he would be a fool to demean his skill for it.

After about an hour of that, Lord Ryu suddenly stood up. He was unsteady on his feet, and the bottle he held in his hand was more empty than full, but his voice was loud, albeit slurred. "Lord Wang! Can't you give these youngsters a demonstration of how to _really_ shoot?"

Lord Wang raised his eyebrows from where he sat and drank hot tea. "I am not as young as I once was. My skill has diminished since my younger days, I am afraid." His tone was flat, carrying the sense of, 'Obviously I'm lying, but false humbleness is expected'.

"I don't believe you- Whoops!" Lord Ryu stumbled backwards and sat down hard in his seat again. "Come now, Lord Wang – don't be… Don't be a bad host. I know you could shoot better than that boy," he pointed at a young Kim lordling whose eyes widened with annoyance, "With- With your eyes closed. Give us a… Give us a show, won't you?"

The guests began to laugh. "Come now, uncle," a young Ryu said, putting a hand on the old Ryu's arm. "Perhaps it would be better for you to stop drinking."

"My nephew's getting married! I think I have the right to drink, boy," mumbled Lord Ryu.

But others (mostly the older generation) raised Lord Ryu's call. "Lord Wang! Show us!"

How could Lord Wang refuse? There seemed to be some hesitation as he stepped down to take a bow and an arrow handed to him by a servant, but once he had strung his bow, that hesitation was gone and replaced by something So could see was a desire to show off.

He pulled back the string in a fluid, practiced movement, barely aiming. When the bowstring snapped back with a 'twang', and the arrow flew, his self-satisfied smirk before the arrow even hit was really too annoying.

The arrow pierced the center of the target, splitting one of the arrows already in the center.

There was a stunned silence, and then loud cheers sounded.

Baek Ah raised his eyebrows, as did So.

/

The wedding party stretched until the moon rose in the sky, and even after it began to lower. Woo Hee was nowhere to be seen, and So was getting frustrated, even with Baek Ah by his side to keep him more-or-less sane. After a while, So turned to Baek Ah. "I'm going outside. It's too stifling in here."

Baek Ah raised his eyebrows. "I know that look, brother. Are you planning on coming back?"

So managed a thin smile. "It depends."

"Suit yourself," said Baek Ah. "I'll come visit you tomorrow in your frozen fortress, alright?"

So nodded, then slipped outside before Lord Wang could see him and stop him. The moon was a sliver in the sky, but its light was bright, glinting sharply off the crisp snow. Despite the red paper lanterns that cast an eerie glow over the skeletons of the garden, it was still quite dim. So's breath misted as he sighed.

When he heard the approaching light footsteps of a woman across the snow, he turned. "Good evening."

Woo Hee lifted the veil of her wide sedge hat and rolled her eyes. "Let's dispense with the formalities," she said. "I have something crucial to tell you."

"I'm listening."

"Haven't you ever wondered who is supporting and planning your ascent to the throne?" Woo Hee asked.

"I know you, Ji Mong, and Baek Ah. And… Baek Ah rode to Yanggeun a few months ago. He says that General Park thinks Park Sul Hui wishes me to be king," So said quietly. "I have heard many things about Lord Park, and I do not trust him, but if he can get me to the throne, I can deal with the consequences afterwards."

Woo Hee nodded. "And who do you think was the bridge between Lord Park and myself?"

So's brow furrowed. "Not Ji Mong?"

"Your brother. Wang Won," Woo Hee said. So's eyes widened and he opened his mouth, but Woo Hee lifted a hand and continued to speak. "I kept this from you at first, because he is an untrustworthy son of a bitch, and you would never have agreed if you knew he was involved."

"And why tell me now?"

"Because there's no chance of you backing out."

"You're a hard woman, Gyeon Woo Hee."

Woo Hee's eyes showed no amusement. "I have to be. You would know." She shakes her head. "But that is not what I needed to tell you most. You will need to go to Khitan. Or… Baek Ah will."

/

Baek Ah worried for So, now more than ever. The fortress was almost complete, there were rumors about Soo and Yo the likes of which would make even a soldier blush, and Lord Park Sul Hui was in charge of So's ascent to the throne. First, he backed Moo, and when that turned out disastrously, he planned Wook to be Moo's replacement – and that turned out even more disastrously than anyone could have imagined. Now it was So's turn. Baek Ah knew that So was cautious, that So was intelligent and unafraid of anything, but he still could not help worrying that So was being played, not the one doing the playing.

Being caught between House Park and House Yoo was not a good position for anyone; caught between a tiger and a dragon, whose rending teeth will tear you apart more painlessly?

This wedding party also, did not seem to be sitting well with So. For as long as Baek Ah had known him, So was never one who enjoyed social events, he always felt uncomfortable around large groups of people, and didn't like talking to anyone.

When So had slipped out for some air, Baek Ah had spent a few minutes talking, drank a toast to the newlyweds, then also slipped out to join So, a bottle in his hand. Wine tasted better with a brother, under the stars.

So, however, was not alone.

Baek Ah watched as he spoke in hushed ones with a woman whose face he could not see, in the colorful dress of a gisaeng. She had a sedge at with a veil, and no matter how hard Baek Ah tried to look around to see her face, he could not. So was bold, it seemed. That he would plot the downfall of House Yoo right in Lord Wang Shik Ryeom's yard. 'You fool, what are you doing?'

And then the woman dropped her vail entirely and left. So stood with his fists clenched and his jaw tight, staring up at the sky with something akin to anger burning in his eyes.

"Have a drink, brother?" Baek Ah called.

So turned. "You… Did you see who I was talking to?" was the first thing he asked when he approached.

"Some woman," Baek Ah said with false carelessness. He took a swig of wine and passed the bottle to So. So took it without a word and drank also, and they sat together on the porch, cooled off by snow starting to fall and heated by the wine.

/

The armory was cold, even despite all the layers of wool and fur Soo wore, her knee ached a little, as it always did on cold days such as this, but being a queen had its perks; she had been getting treatment since the first day when Yo had rucked up her skirt around her waist during the morning, and saw the swollen scarring. He had said nothing, but the palace physician had come to her the next day.

Soo did not look at Yo as she hefted her crossbow up to hold it properly, took aim, and fired at the target. The bold did not hit dead-center, but it wasn't too close to the edge either, and Soo considered it a victory.

"You're improving," Yo said.

"I should hope so, after all that practice," Soo sighed, putting the crossbow down and rotating her arms a little. There were no gym facilities in Goryeo, but if she kept this up for another few months, her arms would definitely get bigger. She flexed her bicep jokingly. "Would Your Majesty find a muscular woman attractive?"

Yo ran his hand up her arm. "The day you do something _un_ attractive will never come," he said with a smirk.

Soo smiled. "That would be a very sweet thing to say, if your other hand wasn't already inside my bodice- Oh!"

/

Jung sparred with the guards often; two of them he knew from his time in Khitan, he'd had drinks with the Captain of the Guard a few times, and he made sure he personally knew every man who guarded Soo's room. The morning was cold, and snow had fallen that night, so the usually dusty ground of the training field was covered with powdery snow.

Block. Lunge. Parry. Slash. Repeat.

He fell into an easy rhythm of clanging metal and precise movement, mind, for once, on things besides blood, and Soo and the king. There were herbs that could knock a man out for the night, and have him wake up fully rested. But if he slept like the dead, he would not be able to wake up if something happened.

'If _what_ happened?' a rational part of his mind that sounded oddly like Soo said. 'Khitan is not going to attack Goryeo if you get a good night's sleep.' And so he did as she told him, and smiled more often so as not to worry her.

And indeed, it seemed as if Soo was entirely unworried. If she had spent much time with the king before, it did not compare to now. Something had happened between them to bring them closer – and even though it was not Jung's business to pry, he had eyes, and he was no longer a child. He refused to let his heart hurt.

Soo was smiling, laughing, looking at someone with shining eyes and exchanging quips and jokes – almost like before she had entered the palace. If the person she looked at like that wasn't Jung, well, that was fine, wasn't it? As long as she was smiling, it was fine. Jung was a man grown. Jealousy was for little boys.

Jung started another sparring session, telling two men to come at him at once – a training exercise he was particularly fond of. One came from the left and the other from the right, and they leaped upon him at the same time.

Ducking under one's sword, he blocked the other's hit, then rolled out of the way as they came together in a tangle. Jung had always been good at fighting, and he had always enjoyed it. He had said, even as a young boy that he would become a famed general and fight under the king's banners when it came time for war. He would win many glorious victories and many songs would be sung of him. Jung still enjoyed fighting. But he hated killing.

When the sparring session ended, even despite the cold, sweat stood out upon Jung's brow. He wiped it away with the back of his hand, sheathing his sword.

On the edge of the training field, someone began to clap. The guards all began to bow low.

Jung turned. Soo beamed at him and waved, and Yo was leaning casually against the door of the armory, looking on with mild boredom. Jung inclined his head towards the king, but grinned at Soo.

"Soo!" Jung greeted, waving in answer. As he approached, he lowered his voice. "How are you doing with the crossbow? You seem to practice often, and for a long time."

For some reason, Soo's cheeks flushed, but she smiled. "Yes, I'm getting better."

"That is truly good to hear," Jung said heartily. "Do you want to go and eat something? This cold weather calls for spicy hotpot, what do you say?"

Yo moved between Jung and Soo, in a way that was not entirely unnoticeable, but more subtle than usual. "What are you trying to feed to the queen, brother? Base, common foods are not for her," he scowled.

Soo wrapped an arm around his middle, and the king froze. "Come on!" she said. "Your Majesty, I love hotpot!"

Jung's smile was a bit awkward. "I'll take my leave-"

Soo pouted at him, and grabbed him by the sleeve, looping her arm through his. "Come on, you two!" she said with a laugh, nudging Yo's shoulder with her head (the king looked still astounded, but accepting). "We're going to eat hotpot together, as a family!"

The king sighed. "If you insist, my queen," he said, with an aura of one long-suffering. He glared at Jung over Soo's head. "This is your fault, you know."

For a moment, Jung forgot that he was a prince, and that Yo was a king, and that Soo was a queen. He laughed and winked at Soo. "Older brother only says that because he cannot stand spicy foods."

Soo's eyes widened. "Really? Is that true?"

Yo glared at Jung again. "Jung, you traitor!" he grumbled. "How dare you…"

But really, Yo wasn't that angry, and when Soo laughed, they both laughed with her. Jung looked at Soo, her cheeks flushed with cold, a carefree grin on her face and a loving light in her eyes, and he could not keep a smile from his face also. 'I wish days like this would last forever.'


	23. Chapter 23

When she first heard that Yo was sending So to Khitan, Soo did not know what to feel. Yo stared her down, arms folded over his chest, eyes impassive – entirely unapologetic, as always. "I don't trust the Wolf-Dog at all. The fortress in my future capital is almost entirely finished – my uncle can take care of it." His mouth twisted. "Will you be upset with me, Hae Soo?"

Soo's lips thinned. If he didn't put it in such a _contrary_ way, maybe she could have, over time, learned to tolerate his decision. But as it stood, she was, in fact, angry. "And you did not see fit to tell me until today, Your Majesty? A month later? I knew of this before hand – yet I thought you would tell me yourself. It took you this long, Your Majesty?"

"Would you have snuck into the convoy?" Yo asked, smirking bitterly. "You threw yourself in front of Wook, once. I would not put it past you."

"And I would do it again. This is not one of those instances," Soo threw back. "I have confidence that His Highness the fourth prince is perfectly capable of taking care of himself."

"Oh, you have _confidence_?" Yo sneered. "I see. I was a fool to think otherwise."

Soo's eyes widened with anger, but through a force of effort she held her voice evenly. "What truly rankles is that you did not see fit to trust me. To tell me this." 'I swore I would not choose sides, but that is foolhardiness now, I see. And now, just when I have chosen a side on which I thought I could be happy, he accuses me of-'

Yo's dark eyes narrowed in answer. "I trust you more than anyone, and you know it."

"You did not trust me enough to tell me." Soo's gaze did not waver.

"I told you about Yeon Hwa, I told you-" He caught his breath and turned back to snap at her. "I have told you more than I should have! You are _my_ queen! Do not get above yourself!"

" _Above_ myself?!" Soo almost choked. Her hands tightened into fists, but she pasted on a polite, slow, careful court lady's smile, an expression she had not had to make for what seemed like such a long time. 'I expected better of you, Your Majesty.' She folded her hands in front of herself and bowed low, from the waist. "Very well, Your Majesty," she said. "This unworthy one apologizes for her conduct. If Your Majesty finds it within your magnanimous heart to forgive me, this unfortunate one would not deserve it." Each word of hers was subservient, yet laced with a poison.

Yo's expression was stony. "Hae Soo."

"If Your Majesty has nothing more to say to this unworthy one, I will take my leave," Soo said, bowing low again and backing out of the room with small steps that, underneath her skirts, made it look as if she was gliding.

"Hae Soo!" growled Yo.

Soo did not stop moving, head down.

He grabbed her arm, backing her up against the wall. "Hae Soo, I _forbid_ you from leaving."

That was _really_ the wrong thing to say. She kept her eyes down, making no effort to break out of his hold. "Then this unfortunate one will have no choice but to stay, Your Majesty."

The gritting of his teeth was audible. "What do you want to hear? I will never keep anything from you again? I do not make empty promises."

Soo could not keep it in any longer. "I have changed, your Majesty – I am no longer what I was ten or five years ago. If you wish me to stay by your side as something more than an ornament or a hostage to ensure your brothers' good behavior, then will you not treat me as your equal? You have been involving me more in matters of state, training my aim – you once told me you cared for me."

Yo's brow was furrowed, and his gaze turned inward, away from her as if he was pensively deep in thought.

"You told me I was a queen," Soo said – and those words meant so much more to her now than they ever had before.

Yo looked down at her with surprise in his eyes, then something more piercing, as if he was seeing her anew – for the first time. Then he drew back, a slow smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Very well…Your Grace," he said, and it was a promise.

/

When Yeon Hwa held her son in her arms for the first time, the snow had almost entirely melted away and the sun was high in the sky. Her body had felt as if it was splitting in half, yet she refused to scream, and when they had given her the child to hold, and she looked down at his red, scrunched face she felt both disappointment at how small and red he was, and elation that he would grow into a beautiful prince, her son – the heir to Houses Yoo and Hwangbo – the heir to the throne of Goryeo. Objectively, he was ugly. Yet he was beautiful in the sense that he was hers, and he was Yo's (besides having two beautiful parents, he was _hers_ ). The wisps of black hair upon his head had already begun to form wavy shapes – just like Yo's hair.

She saw herself reflected in his large, dark eyes, and she wanted his first memory to be of his mother, of her. Yeon Hwa knew that she had never loved anything or anyone more in that moment. She smiled and held him to her breast. He did not cry, he had not cried – he only made small creaking sounds and stared up with round eyes. He was bigger than most newborns were, heavier.

"I wish to name him," Yeon Hwa said aloud as her son began to suckle. She was exhausted, but she would not sleep yet.

The midwife and the physicians all turned to her. "Oh no, no, lady – that's awful bad luck – he may have been born in the spring, but until he lives through at least one winter-"

Yeon Hwa shook her head, still smiling. "He is my son – so he is a survivor. And he is my husband's son – so he is vicious. A name…"

A few hours later, and she still could not think of a name.

"Yeon Hwa. Dearest sister – have I become an uncle?" Won asked when he came in that evening. He smiled, sitting down on the edge of the bed, looking down at the sleepy child in Yeon Hwa's arms.

"No, I just stole a child from the city," Yeon Hwa said dryly. "Of _course_ you have. _I_ have become a mother. Tell the king. Tell him I bore him a son."

Won smiled, but his eyes were tired. "This makes things a little difficult…" he says, sighing. "I heard you wished to name him?"

Yeon Hwa smiled. "Yes. A powerful name. I want to give him a name that means greatness."

"You could always name him after me," Won joked.

Yeon Hwa gave him a flat look. "Where are your great deeds, oh brother of mine?"

Won's slow smile sent a shiver down her spine. "Ah, well," he said lightly, "That would be telling, wouldn't it?" He shrugged laughing a little. "Hm, what of Tae? You could name him after the older brother of our king – _and_ the name truly does mean 'greatness'."

"I heard Wang Tae was a disappointment to House Yoo and House Wang. Besides the fact that he died of some illness when he was barely eighteen," Yeon Hwa said. "The connotations of such a name…"

"My dearest second brother has been all but forgotten. Give the name a new connotation," Won said. "Tae is a good name for the future ruler of Goryeo." He reached out to cup Yeon Hwa's cheek. "And that is what your son will be, Yeon Hwa."

Yeon Hwa refused to let his words affect her, yet she was unable to suppress the jump of her heart when he said those words. "These words have been said to me before," she said, lips thinning. "I don't trust you, brother. I never have, and I will not make the mistake of trusting anyone ever again."

Was it her imagination, or did Won look a little sad? He smiled, shrugging lightly. "Then until I lead you up the steps to that golden throne, Yeon Hwa," he said, "It will be so."

/

Laying together, surrounded by candlelight and silk, Yo wound his arms more tightly around Soo's middle, feeling the soft tickle of her breath against his collarbone and her floral-scented hair against his chin. "There was something is had entertained once, as a notion…" he began, tone light, but voice quiet. "At the time it was a stupid idea – it would have made enemies of my enemies that much quicker."

"And now?" Soo asked.

"Now, there is a storm brewing. The court is fracturing. I can feel it in my bones, Soo, even if there is no outward sign yet." Yo remembered the woman who had bitten off her tongue, Won's crafty smirk, a leather pouch, Yeon Hwa's barely curving belly, and then a blood-covered Jung, a shivering Soo, and rage at his mother.

Soo reached up, smoothing the furrow between Yo's brows with a cool finger. She did not say anything, but she did not have to, Yo couldn't help smiling at her anyway. 'I am a fool. An utter fool for her,' he cursed at himself. 'And yet, fool as I am, I would have it no other way.'

Hae Soo's patience, intelligence, and determination alone would make her a good queen. And yet she was willing to study, spent hours speaking to him of matters of state, and knew the inner workings of the palace like no other. She already was a good queen – holding the title of third queen, a glorified consort, really – that did not suit her.

Yo thought of his first and second queens, silent daughters of House Park, bartered off to a young prince whose mother made all his decisions for him. And now he had a son, and Park Sul Hui, damn the man, was his father-in law. It was so ironic Yo could laugh. But he did not. Both Lady Parks were a hindrance to him and his plans – and while he winced at doing it – he would soon have to remove them. As soon as Park Sul Hui appeared within this web of intrigue, the name 'Park' would be cut from the royal lineage.

Yeon Hwa's craftiness and experience would make her a good queen also – she was born to rule, and yet the whole world had been set against her from the first. Yo had admired her once. But here was where he drew the line. 'I am the king. Perhaps Yeon Hwa's rank was higher once, but no longer.

Yo wanted power, he wanted strength. He wanted a future bright with gold and his queen by his side.

"Until I have concrete proof of Park Sul Hui's moving against me, I cannot do this, but soon, Hae Soo, you will be my first queen," Yo said. "We will rule Goryeo side-by-side." Even at the sound of those words coming from his own mouth, Yo could not suppress a happily triumphant grin.

Soo said nothing for a while.

Yo felt his heart sink slightly, and his jaw tighten.

"Even a year ago," Soo said finally, "I would have refused. But now… I know that if I want something done, if I want a bright future for the people of Goryeo, or even the people I care about – I will have to do it myself."

Yo ran his fingers through her silky hair, marveling at how beautifully the candlelight in her eyes set the world afire. Soon, that candlelight would be the fire of a raging inferno – and she would be the best queen Goryeo had ever seen. Yo believed in her – and that alone, within his arrogant mind, was enough.

/

So's mask felt heavy on Baek Ah's face.

Baek Ah took in a deep, heavy breath as the procession neared, thirty men on horseback riding through the stony steppes on the other side of the mountains. On the rocky outcropping that Baek Ah's party had stopped at, the snow was still falling. Spring had come, and yet here, in the mountainous North, winter still would not release the land. Flakes of snow landed in the fur of his cloak and melted on his hands as he gripped the reins of his horse. He kept his back straight and his eyes ahead, eyes still on the train of man on horseback approaching.

His own men were silent. 'So, oh, So, brother dearest – I really do hope you know what you're doing,' Baek Ah could not help thinking. He would do anything for So, just as he knew So would do the same for him – and this wasn't just for So – it was for the whole of Goryeo.

When he had told Woo Hee, she had not seemed surprised, only sad. _"It will be dangerous,"_ she had promised. She had tried to dissuade him, but he had begged her to forgive him for not being dissuaded – and she had given him advice on

To spend less than a year in Khitan under his brother's name while So raised an army from the people – Baek Ah knew exactly what he had agreed to. All his life, he had stayed away from the royal family's machinations, preferring to sit and paint at the king's behest rather than even retain governorship of a city like Eun. And now… A breathless laugh bubbled up inside his chest. He was throwing himself in headfirst.

He took yet another deep breath in, and when he breathed slowly out, his breath misted in front of him. 'Is this what Soo felt like on the day of her wedding to Yo?' he wondered. 'Ah, what a fearful man I am – this is not a wedding to an unpleasant man, it's a diplomatic mission! They'll serve me fruits on golden platters and suggest peace treaties…'

Baek Ah tried not to think of how unlikely that would be, of the hatred fostered between Goryeo and Khitan, carefully molded through sharp remarks of leaders that provoked battles. 'Jung fought here,' Baek Ah thought, remembering his brother's drawn, pale face and the sword he kept by his side at all times now.

The procession advanced further. As the first man mounted the peak of the road that led to the outcropping, a cool calm induced by panic descended over Baek Ah – just as it had when he had killed a man for the first time.

And then they were there. "Fourth prince," the leader said in a low, accented voice. "You have come."

"I have." Baek Ah's voice did not shake.

"We are honored by your presence."

"As I am to be here."

The cold wind stung his skin, and he returned the inscrutable look the man gave him with one of calm defiance.


End file.
